


Blue & Gold

by sarcastic_fina



Series: Unbalanced [1]
Category: Smallville, Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fate, Prophecy, Soul mate bond, series: unbalanced
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-30
Updated: 2014-03-24
Packaged: 2017-12-28 00:47:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 92,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/985648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarcastic_fina/pseuds/sarcastic_fina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The day Chloe was born, a prophecy was made and her destiny was laid out for her. "The White Wolf. Bound to the Broken Boy. Destined to meet a Demon Wolf. The hells will rain pain like no other but she will survive. She will fight. And when the day comes, she will bring order again." [Part One of the Unbalanced Series]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amazing fic poster made by [dhfreak](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day), so leave some love on her Tumblr!

[ ](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day)

**Prologue**.

The scent of wild flowers was heavy on the breeze, sweet and calming. She laid atop a grass hill, a perfect circle of lilacs surrounding her. May's Flower Moon was high in the sky, shining down brilliantly on the group below. Wolves moved together, bound hand-in-hand, forming a circle around Moira as she lay panting in the center, a sheen of sweat making her skin glisten. Her dark hair was plastered to her face, her eyes snapped from their natural pale blue to a bright alpha red with each painful contraction that shook her frame. Her head fell back as she screamed, a howl preceding it, making the birds scatter from the branches of the trees.

The chanting was loud, it was all she could hear besides the  _thud, thud, thud_  of her quickening heartbeat. The grass was prickly against her skin, making her itchy though she could barely find the energy to scratch. A cool breeze rushed past her that would have made any human shiver but it only helped to bring down the temperature of her skin a few necessary degrees. It was a tradition to greet a new child in the same state as them, so she was glad her daughter wasn't coming in February, like her brother had.

Bo's birth had been complicated from the start, with snow cluttering the ground beneath her, chilling her almost too much to bear. But tonight, her naked body didn't have to suffer the cold water of the ground lapping at her skin, only the bite of prickly grass. She wiggled, trying to get more comfortable, and let out a low groan of irritation. But the chanting didn't slow, no attention was given to her directly. This moment was for her to commune with the moon, to ask that it grace her daughter with the same lupine powers she and her pack possessed. It was further important due to her husband being a human, making the chances of their daughter a born wolf only fifty percent. She wouldn't love her any less if she wasn't, but being a wolf was a gift, and she wanted her daughter to have it.

The warmth of a hand on her shoulder caught her attention and she let her head fall back, caught between a smile and a grimace as Gabe bent to sit behind her, inviting her to lean against him.

"It's not safe for you," she reminded, though it didn't stop her from letting her weight rest against his chest, her hands gripping the legs of his pants. With the pain coming and going as it was, it wasn't uncommon for a birthing mother to shift and attack whatever was nearest her. It wouldn't be as bad if Gabe was a wolf, he would suffer, sure, but he would heal. Most humans wouldn't take their chances. However, Gabe was an emissary, or he was before he married her, and so he trusted wolves and his wife more than any natural human could.

"I won't miss the birth of my daughter," he replied in a calm, even tone.

She chuckled, her head falling to his shoulder. "Don't you know you're not supposed to question your alpha, husband?"

He grinned, pressing a kiss to her sweaty, flushed cheek. "I don't think you'd like me half as much if I didn't."

She smiled, staring up at him. "You think I married you for your debate skills?"

"That, and, for a human, I have surprising stamina in bed."

Her laugh echoed around her and her body relaxed along with it. She could still feel their daughter, eager to get out, but she didn't feel so uncomfortable, so tense. Just a few feet away, Bo was sitting curled up in a ball, his arms locked around his legs. He had already shifted, unable to help himself, and so his angular face was patchy with fur, his teeth long and biting into his lower lip, his eyes a bright gold, reflecting in the dark.

Gabe's hand smoothed over Moira's rounded stomach, drawing her attention away from their first born. "How's our girl?" he wondered, his thumb stroking lightly.

"Eager," Moira answered, her toes curling into the earth as she prepared for another contraction. "I think she takes after you."

He chuckled lowly. "I think you mean 'impatient,' and in that case, she's more you than you think."

She rolled her eyes up at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"That she's two weeks early, and that's as much you as it is her."

"The only thing I'm impatient for is this pain to stop." She gritted her teeth and dug her fingers into the ground, her nails scoring through dirt and grass and tearing it up as she panted through the agony ricocheting through her lower body and up her spine.

When it finally stopped, she shook her head, exhausted. "How much longer?" she moaned, trying to catch her breath.

Gabe stroked her hair back from her face. "When the medicine woman says it's time, it's time."

"I don't need her to tell me it's time to push, Gabriel!" she exclaimed.

"We agreed she would help you birth this time," he reminded. "After the complications with Bo…"

"I would have healed," she argued.

"You might have, but Bo wouldn't have been so lucky. He was being choked by the umbilical cord…" He shook his head. "We can't take that risk again."

Moira sighed, nodding silently.

Nearby, the medicine woman danced around a fire, chanting words of her own that seemed to feed the flames. She plucked lilacs from the ground around her and tossed them into the fire as she continued to dance, the feathers of her headdress moving along with her. Nya was a spirit talker who reached out from the Native American wolf tribes to help the other packs in their search of higher understanding. It was said she conversed directly with the spirits of past, present and future and could, if she wanted to, tell a wolf what his or her destiny would be. But Nya rarely shared her sight, instead merely helping expectant mothers to birth their children. It was too risky to take them to a hospital, where the pain could cause them to shift. And while emissaries could offer knowledge and herbs to ease some of the pain, they were not properly trained for this. Nya often separated herself from the term 'doula' but she was the most sought after medicine woman when it came to labor.

Suddenly, the fire she had been dancing around flared up high and turned an eye-catching shade of purple before it flickered back to orange. She came running toward them then, far more graceful than a woman her age was expected to be, feathers dancing frantically around her head. She ducked under the arms of the chanting wolves to fall on her knees in front of Moira. "It's now. The pup is coming now. You must not wait!" she ordered.

"Finally," Moira muttered before shifting herself up a little on Gabe.

"Push, wolf mother, push now!"

Though it was rare that she followed someone else's direction, Moira took her advice and bore down, her knees pulled up and spread.

"Yes, yes, that's it."

Several minutes passed, however, of her trying to push and receiving little result. "She's not coming. Please… Please, something must be wrong."

"No, no, this one is born of blood. She is a fighter. She will not fall."

Moira stared at her, blinking against the stinging sweat that kept dripping into her eyes. Her whole body hurt, from head to toe, and it was hard to concentrate on what the woman was telling her, what she was muttering under her breath.

"What?" she asked. "What are you saying?"

"The golden child will be born. She'll know love, know knowledge, she'll excel above others. She will blur the line between wolf and druid. She will be a new breed. A new wolf. A power like no other!" She let out a giggle, half insane in her excitement. "The White Wolf. Bound to the Broken Boy. Destined to meet a Demon Wolf. The hells will rain pain like no other but she will survive. She will fight. And when the day comes, she will bring order again."

Moira stared at her, dizzy and confused. "Wh-what?" she panted.

"Birth her now, wolf mother. Or she will die before she lives."

While she hadn't understood most of what the woman said, she did understand that. Pulling her knees back, she took in a deep breath and  _pushed_. She pushed until her lungs, her heart, her entire body shook with the effort. And finally, finally, a cry rang out.

Moira watched, smiling tiredly, as her daughter was raised up to meet the moon, her dark eyes flashing a brilliant gold as she opened them to greet the world. She was lowered, laying in the crook of the medicine woman's arm, who dug her hand into a deer skin bag at her hip and drew a triskele in purple dust along her small chest. The wolves around them threw back their heads and howled, welcoming another to their line. The power that had filled the hill all seemed to crackle in the air then and, one by one, each wolf walked by the medicine woman to gently touch the baby's head, a sign of acceptance, of love and loyalty, and then they filed out, making their way back to the house, where the birth would be celebrated with food and dancing.

The baby gave another cry then, squirming in the hands that held her, and only calmed when the medicine woman finally laid her in her mother's arms, her head resting atop her breast. Moira cupped her tiny head, her skin red and puckered, and felt a tear slip down her cheek as she gazed upon her daughter with reverence.

Gabe's hand rose up to cover her own, his head leaning against hers, and they smiled proudly at their little girl.

"Bo… Bo, come here," Moira entreated, raising a hand for her boy.

He scurried across the grass and took his place at her side, staring down at the baby in her arms with curiosity.

"This is your sister," she told him, squeezing his small hand. "She is your blood and your pack."

He stared a moment longer and then nodded, reaching out to her, his nails still the curved claws of his wolf, but neither of his parents stopped him, instead watching to see what he would do. Carefully, Bo reached a hand out to her and watched as her tiny fingers curled around one of his. A goofy smile broke out over his mouth then as he told them. "She likes me!"

"Of course she does…" Gabe ruffled his hair. "You're her big brother."

Bo seemed to preen at that and smiled down at his sister happily. His brow furrowed though as he wondered, "What's her name?"

Gabe and Moira exchanged a soft smile before they returned their gaze to their daughter. "Chloe… Chloe Anne Sullivan."

"Chloe," he repeated, his mouth pinched up in thought, causing one of his fangs to poke out. "I like it."

Moira wrapped an arm around him, drawing him in close, and kissed his head.

Under the Flower Moon, the White Wolf was born to a loving family, having no idea of the life waiting for her.

Two months later, under the Buck Moon, the Broken Boy was born. Derek Hale greeted the world with a howl and miles across the world, a sleeping baby woke, her eyes flashing a shocking violet before they faded back to gold and finally to a mossy green.

In Beacon Hills, Derek was being shared between his proud parents, who had no idea that two threads of fate wound themselves around his heart, one the black of terrible loss and the other the red of a great love.


	2. An Exceptional Wolf

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amazing fic poster made by [dhfreak](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day), so leave some love on her Tumblr!

**[ ](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day) **

**I**. [1996]

Gabe Sullivan, for all that he had given up his position as emissary, was still steeped in knowledge and power. While he no longer advised the Lane pack, he did offer guidance to his wife. And as their family grew, he thought it prudent to pass on much of what he knew to their children. The most eager to learn was Chloe; she loved all things history, especially anything to do with her own. Her siblings weren't nearly as interested, not unless the stories were of long-lost battles that werewolves waged, pack against pack, or pack against human, or, in some cases, pack against the Greek Gods themselves. It wasn't the blood so much as the honor and the knowledge of what they were born from that Chloe enjoyed. She imagined each word her father told her like ink flowing on a page, sweeping cursive filling out the spaces of her family tree, telling of great aunts and uncles and grandfather's whose howl could fell anyone to their knees. They were her bedtime stories as she grew up, her mind feasting on the wonder and the awe of the wolves that stalked the woods; some protecting, some fighting, others alone and searching for acceptance.

"Mountain ash," Gabe said, looking at his two eldest children, sitting side by side on the sofa in his office.

The bookshelf against the wall was filled to the brim. It seemed he had one for every subject under the sun and could, with exact accuracy, tell her which book belonged to which subject, as if he'd read them so many times they were a part of him. Chloe admired that, even at only ten years old. All of that wisdom inside one person, and someone so willing to share it with any who would listen. But, she supposed, the act of listening was just as important as teaching.

Point in fact, Bo was squirming next to her, eager to get out of lessons. He didn't care for their father's teachings. He enjoyed their mother's instead. Moira focused on their wolf-side; she taught them to fight, to listen to their Instinct, to hunt, and most importantly, to give thanks to the moon for their gift. As an alpha, she was in no way weak of mind or will, but she wasn't as interested in history lessons. She preferred the here and now, preparing for what could be coming, not what had already happened. It was, perhaps, one of the reasons Gabe and Moira worked so well; she was the brawn to his brain, sure, but there was an equal balance of give and take. Like most druids, Gabe had been trained in defense; he was no slouch. He could fight with the best of them and even hold off a werewolf, if necessary. There were tricks of the trade, like the one he brought up now.

Unlike her brother, Chloe shifted forward in her seat because she was eager to share in the lesson, not to get away from it. " _Sorbus scopulina_ , also known as Rowan. It creates a barrier against werewolves and it's believed to be a ward against evil."

"How does it work?" Gabe wondered, looking to Bo.

He groaned, his feet shuffling. He hated being put on the spot and, worse, he never studied. "I don't know. Magic."

Gabe sighed, tipping his head. "I'll let that slide if you can give me two ways it creates a barrier against werewolves."

Chloe squirmed in her seat, pursing her lips as she struggled not to answer for him. Gabe gave her a look to keep her quiet but she bit her lip with the effort.

"In a circle. You can put the ash in a circle around a wolf and he can't get out."

"Or she," Chloe corrected.

Bo rolled his eyes. " _Whatever_. The wolf can't get out."

Gabe nodded approvingly. "One more?"

He frowned, his eyes falling as he tried to think about it.

Chloe tapped her finger against the wood table beside her, a distinct pattern that Bo would recognize and her dad would hardly notice. It was their secret knock when they were kids and Bo had built a tree house in the forest. He said he'd only let her in if she learned the knock. After that, it became their way of letting the other know it was them, often to send a message their parents wouldn't notice.

Bo's eyes darted to her hand, though his head didn't move, and finally he breathed a sigh of relief. "If it's built out of it!" he exclaimed. "Mountain ash is a tree, right? So if something's made of out of it, a wolf can't get past, not without a clear path."

Gabe grinned then. "Right. Good job."

Her brother nodded, his eyes soon darting toward the window. It was clear that he would rather be outside. At fourteen, Bo wasn't as keen to sit still when he could be out with friends. And, unlike Chloe, he had plenty of them. All of whom were humans who had no idea what he really was seeing as the only other pack nearby were the Donovans, and they rarely came by the Sullivan house unless it was to beg conference with Moira. Bo was a naturally outgoing person who attracted friends and attention wherever he went. He was a star at every sport he tried his hand at and he excelled in all things physical. It was the book stuff that tripped him up; he didn't care for reading or history or learning anything unless he had to, though he kept a solid B average through school. Then again, Chloe suspected that had something to do with either his coaches pushing the teachers to let him slide or his many girlfriends helping with his homework, but she never said anything.

"Dad, come on, it's Saturday, and me and Jen were supposed to hang out, see a movie or something."

"Or something," Chloe snorted, rolling her eyes.

'See a movie' was essentially 'suck each other's faces off' in Bo-speak, and Chloe had long ago mastered her brother's 'language.' Even if he'd long-ago outgrown her friendship, dubbing her too young to hang out with him and all of his 'cool,' it didn't mean she understood him any less.

He glared at her and looked back at their dad beseechingly. "You can quiz me at dinner."

Gabe exhaled, long and low, but gave a short nod. "Fine. But ask your mom to drive you in this time. Running to town only begs more questions."

Bo jumped from his seat, eager to leave, and half-grinned. "Thanks, pops," he called back, hurrying out of the office.

They could hear his loud footsteps as he ran down the stairs and his holler to their mother, asking (more like demanding) a ride into town. Chloe cringed, waiting for baby Samantha to wake up and give an angry wail, but when it didn't come, she sat back, happy she didn't have to take care of her youngest sister. At only a year old, Samantha was fussy and only seemed to calm down when somebody held her, even if all she did was squirm in whoever's arms she was placed in. Sam was the opposite of Noah, six years older than her and always quiet. Noah preferred the company of books, mostly of the comic variety, and only talked when he felt like it. He was the quietest of all the Sullivan children, but also the most affectionate, often climbing into laps or curling up into the sides of his siblings or parents, seeking out their warmth and companionship. Thinking of her mop-headed brother, she wondered where he was. He didn't often join her and Bo in lessons, but she knew he enjoyed them a lot more than Bo did.

"What about you, Sunshine? You wanna go out and play?" Gabe wondered, drawing her attention back.

She ignored the question and instead asked one of her own. "Why do you think all the stuff used against us grows naturally?"

He cocked his head curiously, a gesture she knew was meant to encourage her to expand on what she was wondering, to find the answer herself.

"I just mean… Wolfsbane and mountain ash are both from the earth, they grow especially to be used against us… If mountain ash has a history of being used against evil and it's used against us, isn't that the same as saying we're evil?" She frowned, chewing on her lip. "But if that's true, I guess that means that anything poisonous to humans means that humans aren't welcome either… Or maybe it's just balance, like you said..." She sighed, shrugging, and resting her elbow on the arm of the sofa. "Do you think if it wasn't, if there was no mountain ash or wolfsbane that the wolves would be stronger? You know, like if they didn't have anything to stop them… Maybe they would evolve even more… Maybe they'd be unstoppable."

He smiled at her thoughtfully. "That's some deep thinking."

Her eyes rose up to meet his and she smiled, shaking her head. "I just wonder sometimes."

He nodded encouragingly. "It's always good to wonder."

Turning in his seat, he returned his attention to the bookshelf and reached out, walking his fingers over the spines until he found the one he wanted and pulled it free. "Page number?"

"Mmm…" She tipped back in her seat, her hands stacking on her stomach. "394."

He thumbed through and opened to the designated page. "Ahh… Solar eclipses." He wiggled his eyebrows at her. "The rare time when your mother can't beat me in an arm wrestling contest."

Chloe giggled.

For the next hour, her father schooled her and not once did she wish she was anywhere else.

* * *

While Chloe's gym teacher would certainly disagree, she actually had a long-time affection for all things physically demanding. It was just that her brother tended to find glory in it, while she enjoyed it for personal reasons. So when she was at school, she did her best not to show off her heightened abilities, decidedly not interested in becoming the leader of any sports teams. Chloe preferred the whistle of the wind through the trees to the loud roar of fans cheering. She'd been on the soccer team when she was younger, but when her coach pushed her one too many times to 'reach and surpass her potential' she decided that she would much rather train at home and leave the trophies and ribbons to Bo.

This, however, was where her extended time spent on fighting came in handy. While Bo was showing off to his peers just how well he could dunk a basketball or throw a baseball, she was in the yard with her mother, pushing herself to block the next hit, roll away from the impending attack, take advantage of every opportunity. She would like to boast that she often won against her mom, but that wouldn't be true. Moira was the best opponent Chloe could ask for, because she never lost. Which meant it was a constant battle, not to prove that she was better, because she wasn't sure she ever could be, but to prove that she was a worthy adversary.

"60 second combinations," Moira ordered and Chloe planted her feet, raising her small fists in the air to attack the hand her mother held out for her to hit. Moira never used pads; she would heal fast enough and she always said a bruise was worth getting if it meant a lesson was learned in the process.

Her mother gave a sharp whistle and it was time to prove herself. She had to hit the hand with as many combinations as she could, trying her best not to repeat them. Between her fists, elbows, knees, and feet, she was impressive, moving too fast for most human eyes, working up a sweat as she moved ceaselessly, never slowing. Finally, she ended it with a headbutt just as her mother whistled that her time had finished.

When she stepped back, she was panting, and smiling.

Moira raised an eyebrow. "Not bad," she admitted.

In alpha speak, that was as good as saying she'd just thoroughly impressed her. With a laugh, Chloe hopped on spot. "Does that mean you'll take me into town for a few spare parts?" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows hopefully.

With a tipped head, her mom sighed. "What is your fascination with this? You have to be the only wolf I know who'd rather be shut up indoors, rebuilding a computer, when she could be doing something more productive…"

Rolling her eyes, she screwed up her nose. "Is this because I said I didn't want to be a cheerleader?"

"Chloe, you're athletic, you're fast, and cheerleading will help you polish your flips."

"I can flip off trees here and I don't have to wave pompoms at anyone," she muttered.

"But what about the social aspect of it? Don't you want to make friends?"

"I  _have_ friends," she complained, plopping down to sit cross-legged on the grass.

"You have Lois…" Moira joined her, sitting directly across from her. "Is something wrong? Did something happen at school?"

"No… And this isn't some after-school special, okay? I just don't see why I have to be like Bo!"

"Who said you have to be like him? I just want to understand why you spend all of your time here, why you're not out there, enjoying yourself…?" She reached across and took Chloe's hands, squeezing them. "The pack is important, I know you know that. But that doesn't mean I want your whole life wrapped around it. You're young, and there is a big world out there that you're not enjoying."

"Maybe I like what I'm doing! I like it here. I like being close to the woods and the family. I like building computers and movies and running and listening to dad's stories. I don't  _want_  to be a cheerleader or run track or become the captain of the volleyball team. I just want to be me. And that includes absolutely no pompom waving, okay?"

Slowly, she nodded, a faint smile pulling at her lips. "You also like being stubborn."

"That's not so much a hobby as a talent," she returned with a smirk.

Amused, Moira stood, dusting off the back of her pants. "Well, as talented as you are, why don't you do me a favor and take Noah for a run?"

"Sure." She winked as she hurried off toward the house. "Maybe he'll help me polish up my flips, huh?"

"If you can keep him away from his comic books that long," her mother mused lightly.

Chloe made her way up the stairs to the second floor and jogged to Noah's bedroom. As expected, he was bent over a Spider-Man comic, which she promptly ignored in favor of jumping on his bed, shaking the whole frame enough to dislodge him from the mattress. As he fell to the floor, she laughed and hopped down beside him, landing with one knee bent. "Hey squirt, guess who's been nominated to come running?"

Noah looked up at her and then down at his now creased comic book. "Can we go down by the water?" he wondered hopefully.

Knowing he liked to hop across the rocks, she nodded, holding a hand out to him.

Eagerly, he took her hand and joined her.

As they ran down the stairs, she heard her father shouting after them to be back before dark.

Chloe flipped off the porch to the lawn and then executed a flawless stream of cartwheels and back flips until she reached the tree line.

"Show off!" she heard her mother yell after her, laughter coloring her voice.

She took it as a compliment and rushed after her brother, who ran past her, an exhilarated grin upturning his mouth.

* * *

"They're fast," Gabe mentioned, coming to stand next to his wife, holding out a mug of steaming tea.

Moira looked back at him, nodding as her mind drifted from the moment.

"Did something happen in training?"

"Hm?" She glanced at him and then away. "She's getting stronger. There were a few times… I almost thought she had me."

He grinned proudly, rocking back on his heels. "Looks like all that time she spends on her computer isn't dulling her reflexes after all…"

Humming, Moira acknowledged the comment, but frowned to herself as she moved to take a seat on the cushioned wicker bench that dressed their porch.

"I know that face… That's your deep deliberation face," her husband sighed, following after her.

"It's just curious…"

"What is?"

"She's so fast, for someone so young… Bo didn't keep me on my feet this way, Gabe. He's strong and quick, but Chloe… It's like she's been preparing for a fight her whole life."

"Hasn't she? You've been sparring with her practically since she stood, Moy."

She rolled her eyes up at him. "That's not what I meant…" She leaned back in her seat, lifting her cup to inhale the biting scent of her tea, letting it fill her senses and calm her down. "The Instinct should guide her. If she listens, it should always tell her when to move, to duck, to attack… But sometimes, it's like Chloe's Instinct is stronger than that. Sometimes I think she's preparing for battle. She gets so focused, so determined."

"To win?"

She shook her head. "No. No, Bo fights to win, no matter how many times I tell him that survival is what matters, not winning…"

"And Chloe?"

"She fights because she's a fighter… Because she doesn't know how not to."

"Aren't all wolves?" He shook his head. "Wolves defend themselves, their families. They fight to preserve, to survive, to live."

"Have you ever seen her…? Sometimes I watch her, the way she moves, how she bends, and I don't think it's the Instinct that guides her. I think it's something else… I feel it inside me. It's like she's a gun and someone's finger is waiting to pull the trigger."

"You think our ten year old daughter is a  _weapon?_ " He scoffed. "Against  _who?_ "

Her expression slackened, but her eyes were worried as she turned to him. "I don't know… And that scares me."

Gabe went still beside her, a chill running down the length of his spine. He'd known Moira since they were bright-eyed twenty year olds and he could say, with all authority, that there was only one time that she'd ever truly been scared, and that was when they almost lost Bo during labor. Before and after that, she never showed one inkling of fear for anyone or anything. And the idea that she might fear for Chloe sincerely scared him too.

"Moira…" He hugged an arm around her. "She's safe. She always will be with us around."

"She won't always be with us, Gabe." She rested her head atop his shoulder and sighed.

"That won't be for a long time." He rubbed her arm soothingly. "And think of it this way; if she's as fast as you think she is, as strong as you say, then she'll make one hell of an adversary for anyone who tries to take her on."

She nodded, but her eyes stayed on the treeline, her ears listening for her children's heartbeats. Maybe it was the Instinct that told her, maybe it was something else, all she knew for sure was that her daughter was a special breed of wolf, and there were people out there who would do a lot to control her.

"Besides, maybe she's not getting faster… Maybe you're just getting slower," Gabe teased.

Scoffing, she slapped his chest, just hard enough to make him flinch, though he laughed despite the sting. Helpless to it, she smiled, and hoped that she was only being paranoid.

* * *

Bo rolled his eyes from his position seated on the porch stairs. On the grass ahead of him, Chloe and Noah were training together. Or, more accurately, she was mentoring him. While born wolves naturally knew how to fight, an instinct deeply ingrained within them, honing the skill made for a better wolf. Noah was all arms and legs; he was tall for his age and the quietest of them all. In fact, he mostly let his body language do the talking and it usually screamed 'awkward' and 'uncomfortable.' Now was no different, except for one important detail.

Noah stared up at his sister with pure awe. He hung on her every word and listened to her every instruction, moving at the slow pace she encouraged, picking up speed only when he mirrored her exact pose and was throwing a hit the same way she was showing him.

It shouldn't have surprised him seeing as Noah had taken to Chloe from the moment he was born. He had clung to her, growing up with his hand furled in the leg of her pants, using her to guide him through the world as he got his own legs under him. Like a shaky calf, he walked his first steps next to her, searching for her approval in everything he did, and she was always willing to give it to him. Chloe didn't subscribe to the tough love manual that Bo lived by, choosing the sink or swim method over anything else. He wished Noah had been more like him, happy to run head first into anything that faced him, but he was a thinker. He hung back, trying to see things from every angle, before he made a move. And that was only when he didn't have his nose buried in his comic books, giving off a nerd vibe that made Bo glad he was young enough that they wouldn't ever be in the same school at the same time. He loved his little brother, don't get him wrong, but that didn't mean he liked everything about him.

Chloe didn't seem to have the same qualms. She had more patience, at least with the kids. When it came to Bo, it seemed like she had no patience at all. Nobody was going to come knocking at her door offering her sainthood was all he was saying. She was sarcastic and quick to put others in their place with words over fists. But if it came to it, there weren't many he could see beating Chloe in a fight. His mother ranked highest, himself second, and a handful of wolves from neighboring packs might have a chance. It wasn't something one expected to think about their younger sister, but she was a spitfire.

One who was constantly outshining him, even when she didn't try. He didn't think she did it on purpose. She was just naturally talented; book smart as well as wolf smart. Sometimes he wondered if something happened when he was born, if the cord that wrapped around his neck had damaged him somehow. But the more time he spent around other packs, the more he realized he wasn't the odd one.  _She_  was. There was just something about her, something that was a little "more" than the other wolves. She was a strategist, focusing not on either offense or defense, but both at the same time.

When she was a little girl, their father used to call her the wolf princess and tell her stories of ancient she-wolves made from the flesh of Amazonian princesses. They were of the highest order, the most beautiful and cunning of wolves. But they'd been wiped out centuries ago, when the balance teetered too far in their direction, making them nearly unstoppable. The hunters had doused them with wolfsbane and slaughtered them as they lay unconscious, from the oldest to the youngest of the pack, not one had survived. But when the hunters fled at the sound of vengeful sister packs, the bodies had been collected and the blood of the fallen had been collected, ritualistically painted on those who stood to avenge them. Legends said that the wolves who wore their blood had been empowered just long enough to kill those who had done wrong by their sisters, before that same power leeched back into the ground, waiting for the next vessel to bear it, the next cause to need it.

Bo remembered being jealous then, wondering why there weren't princes that he could emulate himself after. Where were the kings that wore gilded crowns and made all the other wolves kneel at his feet, eager to please him? But when his father came to his room, he didn't tell stories of wolf kings, wearing the blood of those who stood against him, instead he told stories of acceptance, of honor and loyalty. He spoke of wolves who put others before themselves, who bowed their heads with modesty instead of raising them up for the respect they deserved.

Bo never liked his father's stories. He still didn't. When lessons came, he often wanted to leave. He didn't want to hear about the druids or the werewolves of the past. He didn't want to know how wolfsbane could be used by hunters, he only wanted the basics. A list with bullet points that told him the general facts of what he should look for if he was ever shot or doused and how he could solve the problem. The rest was just empty words taking up space he didn't want to waste. He had things to do, friends to hang out with, crowds to awe with his talent.

But as talented as he was, as popular as he'd always been, it didn't make his little brother look at him with the kind of desperate idolization that he did Chloe. Oddly enough, when Chloe had been Noah's age,  _she_ used to look at Bo like that. Not anymore, but once upon a time, back when everything he did seemed like the coolest thing she'd ever seen. She'd grown up quickly, though. And maybe her lack of idolization now had something to do with him. He'd stopped spending so much time with her when puberty hit and girls that weren't family suddenly started taking up a large portion of his time.

Still, it stung a little. That he was just regular Bo in Noah's eyes, but Chloe, who used to light up when her big brother entered a room, was the center of Noah's universe.

Which was why he climbed off the stairs and moved toward the duo, eager to prove that he was just as good a fighter, a teacher, as Chloe was. But as he reached them, Noah folded into himself. His arms fell to his sides and his eyes dropped to the ground. Frowning, Bo shook his head. Wolves weren't meant to be meek, but sometimes that's exactly what Noah was. Their mother said it was because he was young, still coming into himself, but Bo didn't think so. He could see Noah ten years from then, still as quiet and reserved as he was now. Which only made it more unusual that he idolized Chloe so much.

Chloe wasn't as reserved as she liked to think. It was a rare moment that she wasn't talking or moving or tinkering with something. She spent a lot of time with her computer, sure, but that didn't mean she was quiet about it. She muttered to herself non-stop. She didn't have a whole lot of friends, preferring to spend her time with her family, but she was always vocal at home. It was the attention outside of the pack that she didn't care for. She wasn't like him, always looking for a spotlight; no, she enjoyed the solitude of the woods and the creature comfort of books and family. But she was also stubborn, out spoken, and extremely defensive, not just of herself but of others. If there was one clear way to get her upset, it was to pick on an underdog. Anybody she deemed unable to fight for themselves, that was where Chloe would be, ready and willing to fight for them.

And that was how Bo knew she'd make a lousy alpha. She was too quick to carry the dead weight instead of getting rid of it. It wasn't like he'd toss his own brother over and kick him out of the pack, blood was blood, but if Noah wasn't his brother, he'd be an omega faster than Bo could blink. Packs were meant to be strong, the power within was what kept an alpha capable of defending them. So when he saw her helping out the scrawny kids getting picked on at her school, he shook his head. The weak were unnecessary. Especially when it came to wolves, they had to be the best of the best, and anything less was unacceptable.

Survival of the fittest.

"He's not going to learn anything if you never put it into action," Bo said, nodding his head down to Noah.

"He's still training," she reminded, placing her hands on her small hips, tipping her head to look up at him. "He has to learn technique first or he'll get hurt."

He snorted. "And then he'll heal." Taking Noah up by the back of his shirt, he carried him a few feet away. "C'mon. Show me what you learned."

Noah rubbed the back of his neck, awkwardly looking from his brother to Chloe.

She took a deep breath, her hand raised to her chest, and Noah mimicked her.

Bo could hear his younger brother's heart slow down as he kept breathing, trying to find his inner peace before he moved to attack.

"You think an enemy is going to let you catch your breath?" Bo swiped out, his hand slapping at Noah's head. "He's not going to wait for you to pray. You have to  _react_."

Noah's shoulders hunched up in reply and he took a step back, but he was only getting into position.

Bo waited for it, for the lunge and swipe, but it didn't come. Noah merely waited and watched. Brows furrowed, Bo blew out a sigh or frustration. "Well?"

Chloe giggled, drawing his attention. "He's waiting."

"For  _what?_ "

She smirked, crossing her arms over her chest. " _You_."

"To do what?"

She tipped her head, staring at him through narrowed eyed, and then she moved. Chloe was fast, just that little bit faster than him, or that's what he told himself when she knocked his feet out from under him. As he stared up at her from his back, she grinned. "There are two kinds of fighters, Bo. The kind that attacks and the kind that waits… The one who waits  _learns_. Temperament, strategy, and ultimate goal. Does that attacker get frustrated easily? Do they plan their attacks? Did they go for a killing strike or just to wound…?" She shook her head down at him and then held a hand out for him to take, offering to bring him back to his feet. "Impatience only teaches you what  _not_ to do."

With that, she turned on her heel, slung her arm around Noah's shoulders, and led him back to the house.

Bo glared after her, kicking the grass with his foot and huffing. It was only made worse when Noah tipped his head back and smiled at her, like she'd impressed him again and she always would.

Turning on his heel, he stomped off toward the woods to release some pent up frustration. One day, he was going to show her, show all of them, that he was a better wolf than she could ever be.

One day he'd be alpha and she would look at him with awe again.

* * *

Chloe's worst attribute was her aptitude for snooping. She preferred to blame it on the fact that her parents had taught her how to track and often reminded her to always be aware of those around her, just in case they turned out to be an enemy. So, in proper snoop fashion, she twisted those words to mean she should always know what was going on, whether others wanted her to or not. This was how she knew that Bo was doing a lot more than just making out with his current girlfriend, Lacey. How she knew her teacher secretly preferred wearing what people considered 'ladies clothing.' And how she knew that her Aunt Ella, her cousin Lois' mother, one of the few humans in the Lane pack, hadn't died from illness like the kids had been told, but because when she finally agreed to take the bite, it hadn't taken.

Sometimes, Chloe kept these secrets to herself, just collecting information for the sake of knowing it. Other times, if that information could be used to help someone, she shared it, usually with her parents. And, admittedly, a few times she told her parents things because she was annoyed with her brother and felt like he deserved to be in trouble. She was no angel, as Bo often liked to point out. Her dad said it was because everything was meant to be balanced, that no one person was completely good or completely bad. And, while she grew up, it made sense. But then, she always took what her dad said at face value. To her mind, he could do no wrong.

But the idea of balance sometimes confused her. If Ella, someone sweet and kind and loving had died, how did that balance out in the world? How did the world make up for Lois's pain, for the nights that Lucy spent crying in her pillow, begging her daddy to bring back her mom? How did it balance if the Lane pack fell apart at her loss? She knew her uncle Sam had started spending more time at work, that he was keeping his sister and her pack at arm's length. Lois was born a human, but Lucy was a wolf, and Moira had warned, time and time again, that she needed the guidance of another wolf to keep her in line. But Uncle Sam was too deep into his grief to listen to her and now he was moving them far out of reach, taking his daughters with him while he lived on an ARMY base.

Chloe tried to understand. She tried not to be angry that her uncle was taking away her cousins. But Lois was her best friend, her only confidant, and she didn't want to lose her. So when she found out that Sam was planning to leave, she didn't keep it to herself, she ran through the woods, across the highway, and through the acres of trees until she found the small house that the Lane family had lived in. It was quiet and empty, not like it had been when Ella was alive, full of warmth. There were no lights on, no scent of dinner simmering away, no soft humming coming from the matriarch of the family.

Chloe burst through the house without knocking and ran straight for Lois' room, stopping with her heart stuttering in her chest as she found her cousin curled up on the floor, an open suitcase beside her.

"You already knew?"

Lois looked up, wiping at her face with her arm, leaving snot and tears all over the sleeve. "He just told me. He said we had to go tonight."

Making her way over slowly, Chloe plopped down beside her and hugged her knees to her chest. "Maybe we could talk to my mom… If Uncle Sam's gonna be working all the time, maybe he'll let you and Lucy stay with us," she suggested hopefully. "You can share my room and Lucy can stay in Noah's. He won't mind."

She shook her head slowly, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "What about my dad?"

"He can write and visit and mom'll take you to see him whenever you want, I promise."

Lois tipped her head and turned to Chloe, only a year older than her but looking so much wiser.  _Did that happen when you lost a parent?_  Chloe wondered. Lois seemed so much more grown up in the last year. So much emptier and quieter. Chloe couldn't imagine what it felt like not to have her mom anymore. But Moira was an alpha, she was so much stronger than humans, who only seemed fragile from where she was sitting. Both Ella and Lois were so much more breakable than the rest and that scared her.

"I can't leave him, Chlo… Not after mom. He's… He's not the same anymore. He's so sad and angry. But he's my dad…" She stared at her searchingly. "I'm sorry."

Chloe shook her head, though her eyes burned with tears. "It's okay," she said, repeating herself when Lois didn't seem to believe her. She forced a smile and reached over to hug her cousin, pulling her in tight to her side. "So we'll write a lot, okay? We can be like pen-pals. We'll write all the time and call and you'll tell me all about the base, especially the top secret stuff we're not supposed to know about."

Lois laughed, but it was tearful, and she buried her face against Chloe's shoulder. "I'm gonna miss you."

"Maybe you won't be gone long, right?" She rubbed her shoulder. "Maybe Uncle Sam just needs some time away from here. It's gotta be hard, living here, after everything…"

She nodded jerkily.

"So who knows, maybe it'll just be a few months or a year, and then you'll be home again."

Lois let out a shaky breath and then swallowed tightly. "You know what I keep thinking though?"

"What?"

"I keep… I keep wondering… What if she was like you guys…?" She lifted her head and looked at Chloe. "If she was a wolf, she wouldn't've died, right? She'd still be here with me." Her face crumbled as she broke down crying again and Chloe held her close, stroking her hair.

It was in that moment that Chloe questioned whether her snooping really did benefit her, because now she was at a crossroads. If she told Lois that her mother died because she  _had_ accepted the bite and it didn't take, then Lois might hate wolves, might hate  _her_ for being the reason her mother died. But at the same time, she didn't want to lie. She hated lying, it was why she put so much energy into digging up the truth, whether others wanted her to know it or not. But as Lois sobbed in her arms, she made a selfish decision to do what she always looked down on others for. She kept what she'd learned to herself and let Lois go on living with what she thought to be true. And even as she did, she knew she would regret it, that one day, like most things, it would come to light, and she would have hurt somebody she dearly loved.

But, in her father's wise words, there was always a lesson to be learned in every mistake. She just wasn't sure what it was yet.

* * *

That night, long after they'd waved goodbye to Sam, Lois, and Lucy, though the pain of losing them still weighed heavy on everyone, Chloe climbed into bed, head resting on her pillow, and stared at the picture of her and Lois that sat kitty-corner on her bedside table.

"She'll always be part of your life," she heard and turned to see her mother standing in the doorway. Moira smiled gently as she crossed the room, taking a seat on the edge of her bed and gazing at the same photo fondly. "Sometimes, distance can be good… It allows you to grow into yourself, find who you are as an individual."

"What if she forgets about me?" she wondered meekly. "What if she just stops writing and she makes new friends,  _human_ friends?"

"She'll make friends," she admitted, "but it won't change how much she loves you." She stroked Chloe's hair off her face tenderly. "Real friendships, the kind that make your soul better, they stay with you… A little distance won't ruin them."

"How do you know?" Chloe turned watery eyes on her, brow furrowed.

"Because my best friend is on the other side of the country and she never misses my call."

"Talia," she said knowingly.

Moira nodded, smiling. "You know I've known Talia since I was younger than you are now… I remember playing with her as a little girl, running through the trees, meeting up every year for the Wolf Moon. And even when we were miles apart, she always wrote me, she always thought of me, and I never once forgot about her."

"Can she shift like you? Can she turn into a real wolf?"

"We're all real wolves, Chloe. Some of us can just take on the image a little more accurately."

"But can she do it?"

Moira nodded. "It's a rare thing, to be able to shift completely… Neither of us knew we could until we were alphas."

Her lips pursed thoughtfully. "Do you think Bo will shift like that?" she wondered.

"I'm not sure." She turned her attention to tucking the blanket in around her, pulling it right up to under Chloe's chin. "Like I said, it's rare. So neither of you should feel any less special if you can't."

Chloe shrugged. "I hope he does."

"Oh?"

Her nose wrinkled. "He talks too much. Maybe if he shifts into a full wolf, he'll shut up."

A laugh escaped her before she could help it, but she shook her head. "He's your brother…" she reprimanded.

"Lois used to say he was full of so much hot air that one day he'd just float away," she admitted, giggling.

" _Chloe_ …" She clucked her tongue, but smiled lightly as she stood. "Be nice to him," she ordered before leaning down to kiss her forehead.

Chloe merely rolled her eyes and turned onto her side, casting one last sad smile at Lois' picture.

Moira moved to the door, reaching for the light switch, pausing only when her daughter called for her.

"Will you tell me more about Talia? I like your stories about her."

Moira nodded. "Tomorrow…" She grinned. "I'll tell you about the time she accidentally got herself caught and thrown in the dog pound."

Chloe chuckled lightly and snuggled into bed.

Smiling to herself, Moira flicked off the light before she left, leaving the door open just a crack.

That night, Chloe dreamt of Talia Hale, the woman she knew only from pictures and stories, and hoped one day she might meet her.


	3. The Boy Before the Break

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amazing fic poster made by [dhfreak](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day), so leave some love on her Tumblr!

[ ](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day)

**II**. [1999]

Derek didn't like fighting.

As Laura threw him off of her again, letting him roll across the grass, bouncing roughly against the hard earth, he groaned, giving his head a shake. If it was up to him, he'd rather be doing homework, but they had training every day and he was required to take part. Sometimes, he didn't think it was the fighting that he disliked so much as the losing. But when his opponent was always his older sister, there wasn't much leaning in his favor. Laura was three years his senior at sixteen; she was quick, smart, and eager to prove herself, which meant Derek spent a lot of time being thrown around and reminded that he was a pathetic opponent.

"You need to block," Laura told him, her hands on her hips as she paced back and forth on the other side of the yard. "You always forget to put your arm up; it's why I always get you."

"Really?" he muttered, rolling his eyes. "I thought it was because you keep kidney punching me before Peter says to go."

She smirked, flashing white canines at him. "Real fights don't start at the bell, Der, you should know that."

Pushing himself up, he twisted and turned his torso, wincing at the lingering pain. "And punching me in the kidneys?"

"That's just good strategy," she replied with a shrug.

"She has a point," Peter called from his lounging position on the stairs, elbows behind him.

"Why don't  _you_ fight her then?"

He grinned. "And get my ass kicked? No thanks. I have better preservation skills than that."

Derek snorted, moving back toward Laura, all the while knowing he was only going to be eating grass and dirt again in a few minutes.

"Look a little more enthusiastic," his sister told him, getting into position, her body arched down a little, one leg extended back, her hands out as if she were going to tackle him. Frankly, he wouldn't be surprised if she did; she was fond of putting him in a headlock until he passed out, no matter how many times their dad told her to knock it off. "Every time you go down, you should be learning something."

"I am," he said blandly. "I'm learning I should become a pacifist."

Laura snorted. "What kind of wolf would that make you?"

"One that isn't  _sore_ ," he muttered.

"Overrated," she dismissed before wiggling her eyebrows. "Now come on… Show me that move dad taught you yesterday."

Derek sighed, but moved into position. When it came to fighting, Laura usually worked with their mom while he sparred with their dad. It wasn't really a separation of genders, despite how it looked; Laura would be alpha when their mother decided to pass it on, so some of her skills needed to be refined. She was taught lessons while she sparred, forced to put both her mental and physical strength to work. Derek, on the other hand, got to horse around with his dad, which generally meant laughing as they wrestled in the grass. It was always less painful than taking on Laura, who aimed to put him down and keep him down. Unlike his eldest daughter, Royce Hale was less eager to use actual violence to teach his kids. Obviously, Derek knew who he would rather be sparring at the moment.

Still, when Laura came for him, he reflected on the move his dad taught him and, in the split second before Laura got her hands on him, he ducked low, knocked her knees out from under her and slammed his shoulder into her stomach, flipping her onto her back before he cartwheeled out of reach, landing in a crouch a few feet away. While momentarily shocked, she was quick to retaliate, flipping herself back onto her feet and turning on him with a snarl.

Peter laughed in the background, enjoying the show.

But when Laura took a swipe at Derek, her claws tearing his shirt open and peeling his skin apart, Peter's laughter faded, a look of pure concentration crossing his face.

It wasn't often that Laura lost control, but she did tend to put winning at the top of her necessities list. Derek always thought it was because she was supposed to become the alpha, that she felt she had to be the absolute best in order to fill the role. Destined for a life of being a beta, he hadn't felt the same push to always outdo those around him, especially not his siblings. He was content with where he was, although he'd prefer to be less bruised.

He leapt back out of her reach, stumbling a little when she just kept coming. Unlike her, he wasn't upset, so he didn't have the surge of adrenaline coursing through him that might guide his movements a little faster. His Instinct was telling him to run, to use Peter as a shield even, but his feet only stumbled back, until he slipped on one of Dillon's toys and fell, landing abruptly on his back.

A seething Laura lunged at him and his arm came up to shield his face, while his body turned, seeking cover. But the attack was never finished and, when he opened his eyes, he found his father was the reason why. Royce had caught Laura by the back of her shirt and was holding her mid-air, dangling from his grip. He was a tall, broad man, with muscle packed over his upper torso and down his arms. He hefted his daughter easily, tossing her backwards so she landed on her butt, giving her head a shake until she was no longer shifted. He raised a thick black eyebrow at her and she ducked her head sheepishly. But he didn't hold a grudge, instead he grinned widely, showing off pearly white teeth under his scruffy black beard.

Holding a large hand out for his son, Royce nearly picked Derek right up off the ground, giving his hair a ruffle before he walked back toward the house, shouting a lighthearted, "Play nice," over his shoulder.

Dusting himself off, Derek looked warily back at Laura, who had pushed back up to her feet.

She pursed her lips at him and muttered, "Sorry," before she turned on her heel and went for a run, her usual way of shaking off the bad energy.

With a sigh, he walked over to the porch and took a seat beside Peter. "Any chance she won't kidney punch me tomorrow?" he wondered hopefully.

With a laugh, Peter smirked down at his nephew. "If anything, she'll do it harder."

Morosely, he dropped his chin down onto his palm and frowned ahead of him.

"Come on…" Peter stood from the stairs and nodded his head. "I promised you a game of one-on-one yesterday…"

As they turned the corner on the house, Derek grinned as he scooped up the basketball laying in the grass. He might not like fighting, per se, but he definitely liked sports, and this one happened to be his best. Which, he was sure, was why Peter picked it. While his uncle liked to act unimpressed and often just amused by his nieces and nephews, Derek knew he cared about them. In fact, he'd venture to guess he was Peter's favorite, and that was an all right place to be in his books.

He tossed the ball toward Peter, who caught it easily, dribbling it without much thought. "First to twenty wins?"

Derek nodded agreeably.

It was no surprise when he won, although Peter maintained that he  _let_ him.

* * *

Dinner was always loud, between Dillon and Cora vying for attention, Laura fighting over the largest piece of meat on the table, and Royce laughing at the chaos, it was only Derek and Talia who sat back, waiting for everything to die down before they took anything for themselves. It wasn't patience on Derek's part so much as self-preservation, getting in the middle of all that would only lead to trouble. Laura had stabbed him in the hand once for reaching for the steak she'd called as her own. He hadn't heard her over the shouting between Dillon and Cora but apparently that hadn't mattered.

This time, however, before anybody reached for anything, Royce banged a fist down on the table so hard that the plates and cutlery rattled. It immediately drew everyone's attention, their hands still outstretched toward the large plate of roast beef and the bowl of mashed potatoes waiting within reach.

"We have a tradition at dinner…" he told them, his voice booming, demanding attention. "Your mother eats first."

Laura was the first to catch on, her eyebrows hiking. "You're not!?" she exclaimed.

Dillon was pouting. "But mom's the slowest," he complained.

Derek slapped him upside the back of his head and rolled his eyes.

Leaping out of her chair, Laura circled the table to hug their mother, squeezing her around her shoulders. "Can't say I wanted another one, but congratulations."

It dawned on Derek suddenly, his eyes falling to Talia's stomach. "You're pregnant," he said, feeling stupid for not catching on earlier. It was a pack tradition that pregnant mothers always ate first and ate the most.

Talia smiled at him gently, giving a small nod. "I am."

Royce laughed happily, reaching over to place his large hand on her still flat stomach. "It'll be twins this time, I can feel it," he told her proudly.

She shook her head, amused by his long-time desire for twins.

"Does that mean she gets dessert first too?" Dillon wondered.

Derek elbowed him.

"Ow,  _what?_ I was just wondering…" he muttered, rubbing his ribs.

Talia laughed lightly, reaching over to cup Dillon's chin. "Is my wolf starving?"

"Feels like it."

"Whatever, I saw you cramming cookies in your mouth an hour ago," Laura told him, moving back to her seat.

Talia's eyes narrowed knowingly at him. "Those wouldn't be the same cookies I told you not to eat until after you did your homework, would they?"

Face screwed up with guilt, Dillon slumped in his chair. " _Maybe…_ "

She lifted her chin, staring down at him sternly. "And your homework?"

"It's…  _mostly_ done…"

"Uh-huh…" She clucked her tongue and then held a hand out for the plate of roast beef her husband handed to her. When she was finished putting a few slices on her plate, she waved it back in Royce's direction. "Just for that, you'll fill your plate last."

Dillon let out a huff of breath in complaint. "But—"

"What're the rules?" she interrupted.

"No lying, stealing, cheating, or killing. And also don't put hair dye in Laura's shampoo bottle…" At his sister's cleared throat, he smirked. "Or conditioner."

"Right. And you promised me that you would finish your homework, which you didn't, so there are consequences."

"But I was  _almost_ done," he sighed, watching morosely as the roast beef was handed person to person, dwindling quickly.

"Almost isn't completely, which means you still lied."

"That's dumb," he muttered.

"The plate is  _almost_ to you, Dillon. If it stopped right now, will you have eaten?"

He frowned. "No."

She stared at him, her brows raised.

"All right, fine. I'm sorry I lied. I won't do it again. And I'll do my homework right after dinner, I swear."

Derek waited for her to nod, holding the plate with its last few slices of roast beef just out of Dillon's reach. Seconds passed, all of which were spent watching Dillon squirm, and then Talia nodded. He blew out a relieved breath and took the plate quickly from Derek, scooping the last of it onto his plate. He was still the last to get anything handed to him, but he wasn't complaining anymore, seeming instead to take his mother's word into consideration.

The rest of dinner was spent talking about the coming baby. Peter bet it was a girl and soon had everyone betting on what day it would be born and how much it would weigh. Derek stayed quiet, focusing on his dinner, not completely sure how he felt about the new addition to the family. He liked his brother and sisters just fine, but he knew adding one more was going to change the dynamics again. When Cora was born, he'd been 8, Dillon's age, and Laura had taken on a lot of responsibility for her, changing her diapers and putting her down for naps. Their mother had been exhausted the first few months, napping frequently. Cora was just as loud as a baby as she was now, constantly demanding attention and making noise. And with Talia putting more emphasis on Laura's alpha training, Derek worried he'd be the one taking care of the new baby when his dad couldn't. It was hard enough feeling like he was responsible for Dillon and Cora, and they were old enough that he didn't have to have his eyes on them all the time. He didn't know how his parents or Laura did it, or why they would want to be an alpha. Who would want to have that must responsibility on their shoulders?

When dinner finished, he gathered up the plates to do the dishes. He and Laura usually traded off but, despite it being her night, he decided to do them himself. Chores were a regular thing around the Hale house. Each of them had their duties and he'd never really questioned it. He got a weekly allowance that he tended to save up for things, mostly sports memorabilia and equipment. But he didn't mind chores, not like Laura, who found them a waste of time, or Dillon, who only ever half-assed them. Even Cora tried to avoid them, but he thought that was because she was so young and so easily distracted. Last week, when she was supposed to be tidying up the living room, he found her painting her nails while she sat on the coffee table. There were stacks of things she had piled up to put away, but apparently she'd found a bottle of nail polish she'd left lying around and that was as far as she got in her chores that afternoon.

For Derek, it was as good chance to think. Dillon was up in his room, finishing up his homework, and he could hear Cora in her bedroom, dancing to a mix tape she had Laura make for her. His older sister, he knew, was jogging. She always did after dinner. And she'd probably stop by her girlfriend's house before she headed back home. She and Julia had been dating for two years and she took every chance she got to hang out with her. Julia didn't know about their family secret and so she wasn't often invited out to the house, mostly because Dillon and Cora still occasionally shifted, never thinking of who could see them. Derek liked her though; she was the exact opposite of how he saw his sister. Julia was nice and soft spoken, she was always gentle and friendly. Laura, on the other hand, Derek saw as brisk, forward, and often loud and demanding. But every once in a while, he'd see her with Julia, whispering like they were in their own little world, and something soft would cross his sister's otherwise hard face.

Shaking his head of Laura, he focused back on the dishes, wondering briefly where his parents were. He got his answer when he drained the sink and grabbed up a tea towel to start drying the dishes off. His dad was sitting in a chair at the table, head leaned back, hands stacked over his chest. If Derek hadn't been able to hear his heart and the not quite even set of his breathing, he might've thought Royce was sleeping. Still, rather than say anything, he turned toward the stack of dishes and started wiping them down before he put them away in their proper place.

"You were quiet at dinner," his father's voice said, ending the peace he'd come to enjoy.

"Usually am," he replied.

"You excited then? To have another brother or sister coming?"

He pursed his lips, staring down at the plate in his hand, and shrugged.

Royce sighed, pushing up from the table. "I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong…" He crossed the room and leaned back against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest. The plaid shirt he was wearing stretched over his chest and around his bulging biceps. But for all that Royce looked like an intimidating man, Derek had never known him to use that against his children.

"I don't know how I feel," he admitted.

"You were happy when Cora came along. What makes this time different?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I'm older."

"And?" He stared at him, waiting for him to figure it out rather than leading him to the conclusion.

"Sometimes I feel like they're my responsibility. Dillon and Cora. And it freaks me out, because… what if I screw up?"

He nodded slowly. "So you're worried that another baby means more responsibility, and you're not sure you're handling it as it is?"

Derek sighed, turning back to the dishes. "It's stupid."

"They  _are_ your responsibility."

He looked back, his brows hiked.

"But only to a degree," he amended. "Family is family, Derek. You protect your own, you love them, you give them the tools to do and be the best they can… You watch out for them and guide them, but things happen and you might not always be able to keep them from making mistakes." He shrugged. "Cora and Dillon look up to you, and you've never let them get hurt. You would protect them with your life, I know that, and so do you."

He nodded. He would too. He would give his life for any one of his family members.

"But you're not the only one watching out for them, all right? I'm their dad, and I'll do everything I can to keep them happy and safe, just like I did for you and Laura. Me and your mom, we're the parents. We don't expect you to pick up our slack, just help us out where you can. So if the baby needs her big brother to rock her back to sleep, then yeah, maybe I'll ask you to do that. But you have a life too and I want you to live it."

"Okay," he murmured, looking up at his dad from the corner of his eyes.

"Good." With a grin, Royce grabbed up a towel and joined him, helping him to dry the last of the dishes and put them away. And when they were finished, he put Derek in a playful headlock before ruffling his hair into a complete mess, all the while laughing as his son struggled to get free. When he finally let go, Derek was red faced and glowering at him.

"Dad…" he complained, reaching up to fix his hair.

Walking past him, he gave him a hard pat to the back. "You have homework?"

He shrugged. "A little."

"Go get it done," he ordered, before moving into the living room.

Derek walked slowly toward the stairs, glancing back over to see his dad lift his mom right up off the couch before he took her seat and settled her into his lap. Not the least bit surprised, Talia merely rested against him, still holding the book she'd been reading. Royce kissed her hair before he rested his chin on her shoulder, reading the book with her as his hands rubbed affectionate circles on her stomach.

Leaving them to their moment, Derek climbed the stairs two at a time, making his way down the hall to his bedroom. He still wasn't sure how it was going to be when the baby was born, but he wasn't as worried about it anymore. Whatever happened, he was going to be the best big brother he could be.

* * *

A knock at his door drew Derek's attention and he paused in his sit-ups, his arms still tucked behind his head. When the door creaked open, he looked over to see Laura leaning there, her arms crossed over her chest. "Can we talk?" she asked.

He shrugged, sitting forward to rest his arms on his knees.

Closing the door behind her, she crossed the room, plopping down on his bed. "So I wanted to talk to you about the other day, when we were fighting…"

He raised an eyebrow and she blew out an annoyed breath.

"You know, when I almost slashed your throat for getting the drop on me…?"

He half-smiled, ducking his head in amusement. "Right. That."

Rolling her eyes, she sat forward. "Look, I know you think I'm being a jerk to you, that I'm picking on you or something, but that's not why I do it."

"So you're kidney punching me for my benefit?" he asked sarcastically.

"Kind of, yeah."

With a sigh, he stared at her, waiting on an explanation.

"You spar with dad, and that's great, but dad likes to think that if there was ever a real fight, he'd deal with it. Maybe it's because he was supposed to be an alpha before he met mom, but it's like he's prepared to take on any enemy that comes after us… And that'd be fine, he's our dad, I get it, but the point of being in a pack is that there's strength in numbers, and we want to protect each other just as much as he wants to protect us…" She stared at him searchingly. "All I'm saying is, you need to be prepared. Because when a fight comes, and it will, dad might not be there to stop them before they get at your throat."

He frowned. "You think that'll really happen though…? I thought the packs were getting along."

"There's always peace before there's chaos, Derek." She shook her head. "The point is, keeping your head down and hoping for the best doesn't make the world a better place."

"So you think I need to train more."

"I think you need to train  _harder_ …" She frowned at him. "I know you think I'm being a bitch, but I just don't want to see you get hurt." She pushed up from his bed and started across the room, reaching over to ruffle his hair in the way she knew he hated, and smirked as she sauntered out of reach. "You're my baby brother, and if keeping you alive means kicking your ass, then I'll do it every single day." With a wink, she walked out of his room, and he glared at the open door.

"You know you have two brothers, right? And he's younger than me!" he shouted after her.

"You're always gonna be a baby in my eyes," she called back laughingly.

Rolling his eyes, he fell back to the floor and decided to burn off his irritation with exercise.

If she wanted him to prove he could handle himself in a fight, he would. He didn't think one was coming, but Laura was rarely wrong, and if she thought peace would only last so long, then he wanted to be prepared for war.

* * *

Derek had just pulled his bike around to the front when he spotted Cora, bouncing on the tips of her toes hopefully. Sighing, he raised an eyebrow, climbing on his bike when he got closer.

"What?"

"Dad said you were going into town."

"Yeah. And…?"

"I want ice cream," she said bluntly.

"Do you have any  _money_ for ice cream?" he wondered.

She shook her head. "Nope. You do though. You save it up."

"Yeah, for  _me_ …"

" _Please_ , Derek." She hopped on spot, her hands clasped under her chin.

"Fine." He rolled his eyes. "But go get Dillon. And tell Laura we're going."

"She's not here. She's on a date with Julie," she called back as she ran across the lawn, shouting Dillon's name so loud he nearly cringed.

Sitting back on his seat, he frowned. He'd been hoping to ride around alone for a while, maybe see if any of the guys were at the arcade. It was almost a guarantee that Billy would be up for a game of air hockey. Instead, now he had a little brother and sister to keep an eye on. It didn't usually bother him. He didn't mind keeping an eye on them; they usually behaved. But sometimes he just needed time away from the family. Even Peter. It was hard to find any time alone in a house full of energetic wolves.

Dillon hopped off the porch to the lawn, bypassing the stairs, and circled around the house to grab his own bike before joining Derek. While Cora had a bike, she was still small enough that it would take too long to wait for her to catch up, so instead he hauled her up onto the bars of his bike and started pedaling. There was a clear path through the woods that led down to the highway. Derek had Dillon ride ahead of him so he could keep an eye out and they made their way into town easily enough. There weren't many drivers on the road that day, and for that he was thankful. Despite the fact that they would all heal if they were hit by a car, it didn't mean it would hurt any less. Even just the faint sound of an approaching car made his heart speed up, so he made Dillon pull over and wait for vehicles to pass each time, ignoring how Dillon rolled his eyes and complained. He wasn't risking it.

When they finally got into town, their first stop was the ice cream shop. Cora had talked non-stop on the ride about all her favorite flavors, deliberating out loud over which one she was going to have. And then, eyes much larger than her stomach, decided to tell him she was going to have five scoops, because she just couldn't pick.

After locking their bikes up, Derek led them inside with Cora seated on his shoulders. He had to duck through the door so she wouldn't hit her head, which only made her giggle, her hands frequently pinching his cheeks and covering his eyes, just because she knew it annoyed him.

"You know I'm  _buying_ , right?" he reminded, shrugging his shoulders to bounce her up abruptly.

Not the least bit worried, she nodded. "Can I get a waffle cone too, Derek? With the chocolate and the sprinkles?"

Sighing, he rolled his eyes. "If you're getting that, you're only getting one scoop."

"But there's so many…" she pouted, bending over his head to peer inside the glass cover to the ice cream below.

"Dillon, what are you getting?" Derek wondered.

"Double scoop of Tiger Tail," he answered back, knocking his knuckles against the counter.

"Bowl or cone?" the server asked.

"Bowl."

"C'mon, Pipsqueak, you've gotta pick already," Derek told his sister.

"Mm…" Cora tugged on his right ear to get him to walk in that direction, letting her see some of the other colorful buckets. "What kind's the blue one, with the nuts?" she wondered, pointing.

He peered down at the sticker and told her, "Pistachio almond. You don't like almonds."

"But it's blue."

"Cor, you don't like almonds. You're not getting it…" He started moving back the way he came. "You want blue, get Bubble Gum. Or get Cotton Candy, it's got pink in it too."

"Cotton Candy is purple, not blue."

"Whatever," he muttered. "Just get something."

"I waaant…" She slumped, resting her arms atop his head and leaning on them. "I want Bubble Gum," she decided, nodding.

"Okay, great." He pointed at the Bubble Gum. "One scoop in a waffle cone."

"With sprinkles and chocolate," she added loudly.

Derek nodded, waving a hand up at her.

She wiggled happily as her ice cream was made and he reached up to grab her off his shoulders, dropping her down to her feet. When her waffle cone was handed to her, he gave her back a push to get her to walk over to the table Dillon was sitting at, people-watching out the window. "I'll get a scoop of Rocky Road in a bowl," he said before walking over to the till, digging out his wallet as he went.

After paying, he took his bowl, and joined his siblings at the table. Cora was sitting on her knees, her mouth and cheeks covered in ice cream.

Derek frowned.

Dillon snorted. "You're gonna have to clean her up before we go."

"Yeah, or  _you_ will," he replied, digging his spoon into his ice cream.

"Derek, can we go to the park after this?" Cora hoped.

"After. We're going to the arcade first."

Dillon perked up. "Do you have change for five dollars?" he wondered.

"If you had five bucks, why was I buying ice cream for you?"

He grinned cheekily. "You didn't ask."

Muttering under his breath, he dug out his wallet and found four loonies and four quarters. Before he handed them over, though, he held out a hand for the five. Dillon dug it out of his pocket and handed it over before scooping up his change.

"What about me?" Cora wondered with a pout. "I wanna play, too."

"I'll set you up when we get there," he assured before leaning back in his seat.

Aside from some bickering between Dillon and Cora, time went by quickly. Cora ate most of her ice cream, but eventually made Derek finish it because she didn't want it to go to waste. He had Dillon take her into the bathroom to wash up before they started the trek over to the arcade. They left the bikes where they were, assuming the arcade bike ramp would be full.

Derek took Cora's hand as they walked, while Dillon walked on her other side, his hands tucked into his pocket even though Cora kept tugging at his wrist. "You have to hold my hand, Dill. It's mom's rules."

As they reached the curb, Derek hiked her up by her arm so she swung onto the sidewalk, making her laugh happily. They walked past familiar shop fronts, from the small organic grocery store that his mom preferred to the sports equipment outlet that his dad took him to on weekends, until finally they were at the arcade, bustling with kids of all ages. The inside was loud with the sound of voices and machines. Dillon took off as soon as they stepped inside, his pocket jingling with change. Following after him with less enthusiasm, Derek found Dillon by Pacman before he went off to see if any of his friends were around.

"I want to play, too," Cora told him, tugging on his hand.

"In a minute. If Billy's here, you can help me beat him at air hockey."

Content with that, she helped him look for his friend, a tall, loud kid with a cigarette permanently tucked behind his ear. He finally found him by one of the boxing consoles and nodded his head in greeting.

"Hale, what's up dude?" He pulled off the gloves and put them back before he raised an eyebrow at Cora. "And who's the princess?"

"I'm Cora," she told him, lifting her chin proudly. "And we're gonna beat you at air hockey."

Billy laughed. "That right?"

Derek shrugged.

"All right, let's put it to the test then…" He walked toward the air hockey tables, assuming they followed.

The next hour was spent with Cora sitting on the edge of the air hockey table, attempting to help him win against Billy. They were interrupted a few times by Dillon, who needed more change and had no qualms about using Derek's.

When they clock struck five, however, he knew it was time to start heading back. So he said goodbye to Billy before he hauled Cora up onto his side and searched out Dillon. Before his brother could beg a few more quarters off of him, he nodded his head toward the door and, together, they made their way out. They walked back over to the ice cream shop to get their bikes and started the trek back into town, only now Dillon was the one talking non-stop about the games he played and the high scores he'd reached.

"Why'd you call yourself Dillinator?" Cora wondered, her nose scrunched up.

"'Cause, it's like Terminator. I killed all the other scores and now mine's the best."

"So if I did it, I'd be Corinator?"

"Yeah, but you won't, 'cause I'm way better than you."

"But I could, if I practice lots."

"Yeah? And how are you gonna do that? You spend all your allowance on candy, and you need Derek or Laura to take you to the arcade," he reminded, looking smug.

"Derek will take me!" she told him angrily. "Right, Derek?"

"Yeah, sure, but you gotta save up your own money for it," he replied, letting the bike coast for a few feet before he started pedaling again.

"But what about candy?"

"That crap rots your teeth out anyway," he muttered.

"I'm a wolf though."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and if you wanna be the best wolf, you've gotta take care of yourself. It's not a free pass to everything. You've still gotta practice at that, too."

Cora let out a long sigh. "I don't like all this practicing."

His lips twitched. "Well, you wanna be the Corinator, right?"

She frowned thoughtfully, but nodded.

"Okay, then you gotta practice."

Turning her head, she stuck her tongue out at Dillon. "I'm gonna be better than you at everything, just you wait!"

Dillon rolled his eyes and pedaled harder, getting ahead of them on his bike. "We'll see!" he called back, grinning.

"Derek, go faster we can't let him win," Cora said, squeezing his forearm.

Both amused an exasperated, Derek pedaled harder, surpassing Dillon easily, though he chose not to get too far ahead just in case there were any cars coming. Still, when they arrived back at the house, Derek was in the lead, which meant Cora didn't stop boasting all through dinner, rubbing it in Dillon's face every chance she got.

* * *

The farther into her pregnancy she got, the less Talia liked to shift, which meant she spent a lot of time walking through the forest on foot rather than paw. Since Derek was a little boy, he remembered going for hikes with her while she was in her full wolf form, his hand tightly gripping her black fur as he walked next to her. Now, it was her hand he held as he helped her over fallen logs, looking worried with every step she took, heavily pregnant with what she told them was going to be a little girl.

"I'm not as fragile as you think I am," she told him, releasing his hand so she could press her palm to his cheek affectionately.

He leaned into it, but pursed his lips arguably. "You're fragile enough."

Her lips turned up at the corner. "You worry too much." She tucked a hand under her round stomach and continued walking, letting her fingers drag across the rough bark of a tree. "I've already had four children. You don't think I know what I'm doing by now?"

He shrugged, keeping step with her. "Just because you're careful doesn't mean everyone else is."

She looked over at him from the corner of her eyes. "And you're going to keep the world at bay, is that it?"

"I can try," he murmured.

Wrapping an arm around him, she tugged him against her side and kissed his head. "While I'm touched, you know it's not up to you keep us all safe, right?" She stared at him meaningfully. "You're just a boy, Derek. Bad things happen, things that can't be controlled, and it's no one's fault."

"I guess."

She smiled, hearing the disagreement in his voice, and shook her head. "You're stubborn, just like your dad."

He grinned then. "He says the same thing about you."

"Then you come by it honestly."

In the distance, he could hear the water rushing, and wasn't surprised when his mother turned in its direction. She loved the water and, despite the fact that it would probably be just short of freezing, he knew she'd probably take her shoes off and dip her toes into the frigid water. He helped her across the rocks and up a small hill, leading her down to where the rocks thinned out, replaced with damp grass and dirt. She kicked off her shoes and hiked her skirt up above her ankles as she stepped into the water, smiling to herself.

"Do you know why I wanted to go for a walk?" she asked him.

He shrugged. "'Cause dad's nesting… I think he rearranged the pantry three times already."

"Four," she laughed.

He smiled, shaking his head as he took his own shoes and socks off, rolling his jeans up his legs before he joined her. He winced as the water hit his skin and took a deep breath, feeling his skin cool rapidly. He stood next to her, trying not to squirm against the pins and needles that stabbed his skin.

She chuckled, side-eyeing him with amusement.

He glanced at her and then back out at the water. "What do you think you'll name her?" he wondered.

"Your dad likes the name Hope."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, but I'm partial to Nora."

He rolled his eyes. "You don't think Laura and Cora were enough?"

"Why break tradition?" she mused, smiling widely.

He hummed, staring down at the water, trying to see his feet through it as he wiggled his toes, trying to get the gritty sand out from between them.

"We don't do this enough," Talia said, drawing his attention back to her.

"What? Risk hypothermia?"

She snorted, shaking her head. "No, we don't get to spend as much time together… Between Laura's training and the baby, I feel like we've been spending more time apart."

"I get it."

She turned to him, letting her skirt drop, and reached for his hand. "I want us to do this more often. Just me and you, taking our walks like we used to."

"It's okay if you get busy," he reassured.

"I'm not taking no for an answer, Derek." She squeezed his hands. "Things might be a little difficult when the baby first comes, but we'll figure it out, okay?"

"Okay."

"Good." She released one of his hands and turned back, facing the water once more. Breathing in deep, she closed her eyes. "It's beautiful out here, isn't it?"

He half-smiled. "Yeah, it is."

She leaned against his side, resting her head on his shoulder. "You're getting so tall," she noticed.

He laughed under his breath. "Maybe you're shrinking."

She clucked her tongue, rolling her eyes. "I'm not  _that_ old."

"In  _dog_  years…"

She slapped his chest, but he only laughed.

They spent a few more minutes lingering in the water before she decided she was ready to leave. He helped her get her shoes back on since she had trouble bending lately before he pulled his own sneakers back on and unrolled his jeans. She held his hand the whole walk back home and, while Derek would never admit he liked spending so much time with his mom, he really looked forward to doing it once a week.

* * *

_Today was the worst day of his life._

While it would later become a common, repetitive thought, in that moment, Derek thought it would truly be the worst day he ever faced. As the years would pass, he'd later add it to a list of top five, but at thirteen years old, kneeling in the woods, crying over the body of his father, he couldn't imagine anything that would feel worse than that.

A rogue hunter had entered the Beacon Hills preserve at just before sunrise. He stalked through the trees, armed to the teeth, with only one mission in mind; destroy the Hale pack. There would be little warning that he was coming, as everybody was fast asleep in their beds. But just as the sun was beginning to peek out, a loud howl rent the air, cracked with warning.

After that, it was chaos.

Derek remembered falling out of his bed, half-shifted, confused and worried. And then Laura was throwing open his door, her shirt half dragged down her body. She grabbed his arm roughly and yanked him from the room. "Get Dillon and Cora and go downstairs to the basement," she ordered.

Rubbing his eyes, still half-asleep, he shook his head. "But that was Peter..."

"I know. He's warning us." She shoved him toward Dillon's room. "Go, Derek. Get the kids downstairs."

Instead of fighting for answers, he listened. Dillon was sitting up in bed, rubbing a hand over his face. Derek grabbed him up and took his hand, pulling him alongside him as he went into Cora's room. She was still sleeping, somehow not hearing the howl, or not bothering to respond to it. He scooped her up out of her blanket, with her favorite stuffed animal still clutched in her arm, and led them downstairs, rushing toward the door leading into the basement. As soon as he put them on the lumpy, oversized couch, he rushed back up the stairs, searching out Laura and his parents.

Royce was on the porch, dragging a thermal t-shirt over his head, his long, mussed hair falling into his face. Talia reached up to right it, stretching on her tip-toes.

"Don't do this," she begged. "Not alone."

"I'm not alone. Peter's out there."

She shook her head, her brow furrowed. "I love my brother, but he's young, Royce. He's not ready for whatever's out there. You heard it. You heard the fear when he called to us."

"That was fear  _for_ us," he assured. "Peter's a lot of things, but he'd never let anything happen to his family."

Talia swallowed tightly. "Please. You know who's out there. He's already killed so many."

"His last attack was on my brother. He's lucky he made it out alive. He won't this time." Turning to her, he took her by the hips and pulled her forward, her protruding belly pressing against his. He dropped his forehead to meet hers and sighed. "Go with the kids down to the basement. If I'm not back in a half hour, lead them through the tunnels, get out of Beacon Hills. Stay with my brother until you know it's safe."

" _Royce_ ," she choked out.

He kissed her, slanting his lips roughly over hers, his fingers tightly furled in her hair at the nape of her neck. "I know. I know you'd be out there with me. But it's not safe, not with Hope coming." His hand fell to her stomach, rubbing the curve. "He wouldn't stand a chance against you, Tal. Which is probably why he's coming now."

"Which means he's  _smart_ ," she growled through clenched teeth, her eyes flashing a bright red.

"Wouldn't have lasted this long if he wasn't." With a sigh, he pressed another kiss to the tip of her nose. "I'll come back."

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

He grinned at her, wrinkles fanning out from the corners of his eyes. "I'll love you 'til I die."

"Better," she breathed, blinking quickly against her tears.

Laura rushed past then, joining her parents on the porch. "I'm coming."

They both shook their heads. "Laura—"

"I'm in training for this. You can't keep me locked up." She looked up at her dad beseechingly. " _Please_. You'll need help."

He stared down at his daughter before looking back at Talia. "She's strong and fast, you said so yourself."

"She's also still a child!"

"I'm sixteen," she argued. "And I know what I'm doing."

"We're wasting time arguing about this. The more we fight, the closer he gets."

Just then, Peter broke through the tree line and rushed up the driveway, his golden eyes wide and his mouth gaping as he gasped for breath. "He's coming. We have to go."

"I'm coming," Laura told them decisively, before she hurried down the stairs and started across the lawn, shifting as she went, cracking her neck from side to side before she gave a loud, feral growl.

Sighing, Royce looked back to his wife and then past her and inside the house. He waved Derek over, his hand landing on his shoulder as soon as he reached them. "You'll take care of them." He stared down at his son seriously. "They're yours to protect, do you understand?"

He nodded, startled by how stern his father was being, a characteristic he rarely possessed. "I will. I promise."

Gripping him behind his neck, Royce pulled him forward and pressed a kiss to the crown of his head. "I'm proud of you. Don't ever forget that." With one last pat to his shoulder, Royce released him and turned to leave, joining Laura and Peter. He looked back once, nodding his head to Talia, and then he was gone, rushing into the woods to meet the problem head on.

"Will he come back?" Derek wondered, hating how his voice waivered.

Talia turned to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, and led him back to the basement door. "Come on. We have to be strong for Cora and Dillon, okay?" She cupped his face and stared down at him searchingly. "I know how scared you are, but I need you to be strong right now."

He swallowed tightly, nodding his head.

Derek made her walk ahead of him before he followed her down the stairs.

Dillon was holding a crying Cora, trying to calm her down while he silently cried himself. Derek took a seat beside them, wrapping his arm around them both and holding them to his side. All the while, their mother paced, watching the clock that hung on the wall. The basement was made completely of brick, the windows barred for safety, not only from the outside world but for it as well. On full moons, when the kids were still too young to completely control themselves, they were brought downstairs, where they could be kept from hurting others and themselves. Exercise equipment took up one side of the room, while the rest, aside from a couch and a few chairs, was just open space. The couch had seen better days, tears and chunks missing from it. Talia said it gave it the sofa personality, that it was made of up memories of their childhood, and often refused to get rid of it. Derek picked at a hole in the arm, tugging threads free, all the while silently counting the minutes away in his head.

He strained his ears to hear the fight, but it was difficult to tell one person from the other. He knew their heartbeats and comforted himself with the fact that he could still hear Laura, Peter's and his dad's beating, if erratically. The more he listened, however, the less comforted he was.

The last ten minutes, he would only remember in bits and pieces. He heard his father's howl break through the woods, but just as quickly as it hit him, so did Laura's, full of fury and pain. He remembered Peter coming back to them, torn up and bloody, still panting, something empty in his eyes.

"It's over," was all he said.

And then Derek was there, in the woods; he remembered the trees going by in a flash as he ran through them.

When he found his dad, Royce was lying feet from the shredded body of a man Derek had never seen before. Royce's head wasn't completely separated from his shoulders, but it was cut through enough to kill him. A sword lay on the ground, just out of reach of the hunter, as if it'd been ripped from his grip and thrown away before he was killed. Laura was sitting against a tree, her knees pulled up to her chest, her cheeks wet with both tears and blood spatter. Her eyes were wide, yellow, and staring emptily at the forest bed.

"Dad?" he asked, though he knew he wouldn't get a reply. He dropped his forehead down to Royce's chest and he cried, his body shaking with the force of it. And some part of him, some naïve, innocent part, waited hopefully for his father to wrap an arm around him and tell him it would be okay. But as he knelt there, his jeans soaking through with blood and wet earth, he felt the first crack ricochet through his soul.

And so began his journey as the Broken Boy.


	4. A Hungry Wolf

[ ](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day)

**III.** [2002]

Chloe was sixteen the first time she met Deucalion.

Earlier that day, she watched from afar, not the least bit repentant as she spied on her mother and her unexpected visitor. Moira stood tall and regal, her dark hair whipping around her as the wind picked up. Being that she was a well-known alpha, and a matriarch that many looked up to, it wasn't so surprising that someone had come looking for her advice, only that they came all the way from California for it.

Chloe had heard things about Deucalion, whispers on the wind, stories of him at both his height of grandeur and low of failure. It was one of those stories that originally started out as something to aspire to. He'd been a well-known alpha, one whom believed in balance and working together. He had taken steps to reach out, to befriend a hunter in hopes of stopping the war that raged between them before it took any more lives. Perhaps it was the mistake of a too-trusting man, or maybe the blame lay in the man who preferred chaos to peace. Bo told her the story after visiting another pack. He said the Argents had blinded Deucalion, leaving him with the stick he now used to find his way. But as much as it could have been seen as a triumph for hunters, she was also told that Deucalion's blindness did nothing to quell his power. If anything, it had served to encourage a spark of deeply ingrained rage that, if contained, could be far more volatile.

Deucalion was a tall man; though she thought some of his startling height might be more from bearing. His walking stick stood in front of him, planted firmly in the ground, his hands stacked one on top of the other above the grip. She peered at it thoughtfully, wondering how often he used it to confuse others, to trick them into thinking he was helpless. It was smart, and that worried her. Her mother was a clever woman and she never aligned herself with anyone she saw unfit. While Chloe couldn't prove that something was off about Deucalion, her Instinct was screaming at her a sharp, clear warning.

"You've got your father's suspicious streak," her mother would often tell her. And Chloe would preen with the words, taking them as the praise they truly were.

While Chloe trusted her parents and her pack, she wasn't as quick to trust anyone outside of it, and Deucalion was hitting every warning sign and bell she'd ever possessed. But she was a beta and if her mother wanted her opinion, she would ask for it. Turning her back on the scene, leaving Moira to do what she thought right, Chloe made her way down the hill toward her house. The sights and smells that cluttered her home were always welcome and quickly put her worried mind at ease.

Walking across her yard, she paused next to her youngest brother and the only one of her siblings who had been born human. Brody was only four and had little interest in anything that didn't live in the woods. He loved animals more than people and, unlike Samantha, could hold a whole conversation without ever uttering a word. Sam was a spitfire though, only two years older than Brody was and a thousand times more outgoing. She never stopped moving, running from one place to another, climbing trees, twisting and turning and flipping in the air until her body couldn't take one more second of movement. Often, she could be found napping in the branches of trees, having fallen asleep after exerting herself too much.

Chloe bypassed Brody, playing with the rabbit he'd recently saved and still recovering from a bum leg. She ruffled his hair as she went, and made her way up the steps of her house to the porch. On the cushioned swing laid Noah, his face buried in his arms, too-long hair a tangled mop on his head, shrouding what little of his face was peeking out. He was going through a growth spurt currently and had been sleeping more than usual, so it wasn't rare to find him napping, despite the fact that, at thirteen, he'd long grown out of nap time.

She was careful with the screen door, aware that the slightest of noises might set off his sensitive hearing. Making her way inside, she started searching out her dad, giving a cursory sniff before she climbed the stairs to his office. Dinner was cooking downstairs, and an apple pie was warm on the counter, golden brown and dappled with cinnamon. The scent was heavenly and her stomach gave a hungry tug. She paused at Bo's room, but it was empty so she kept going until she'd reached the closed door of Gabe's office.

"Come in," he called, before she'd even had a chance to knock.

She smiled, pushing the door open and slipping inside silently. "How do you always know?"

"Do you want the mysterious answer or the honest answer?"

She plopped down on the small loveseat and shrugged. "Surprise me."

"The mysterious answer would be that you're my daughter and I always know where you are… Call it dad's intuition…" He turned in his chair to face her, plucking his glasses off his nose and rubbing the bridge. "But the honest answer is that I knew as soon as Deucalion came looking for your mother that you would have questions… You won't ask her because you know she'll only tell you you're not old enough yet to understand pack politics." He half-smiled to himself. "Your thirst for answers is insatiable though, and you hate feeling like you're in the dark."

"Should I lay down on the couch for this analysis?" she joked, raising an eyebrow.

"You're your father's daughter… But on this, I'm afraid I can't be much help."

"Can't… or won't?" Leaning forward, she rested her elbows on her knees, peering at him curiously.

"Do you remember when you were 12 and I told you that it was rude to monitor my heartbeat?"

She nodded. "You said it's an invasion of privacy; that people don't have to answer to me just because I can hear if their heart speeds up or skips a beat."

"It's a matter of trust… If you're listening to their heart, you trust your abilities. If you listen to their words, you trust them."

"What if they're not trustworthy?"

"Sometimes you have to take that gamble."

She scoffed, leaning back in her seat. "I highly doubt werewolf hunters aren't using everything in their repertoire to get us, so why not let us even the playground a little?"

"If you think werewolf hunters are on an even keel with you, you haven't been practicing enough," he reminded, his face lightening with humor.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Mom puts me on the ground every time… There's only so many bruises one ego can take."

"You should ask Bo to spar if you want to sharpen your skills."

Her lips pursed in a frown.

He tipped his head, peering at her. "One day your mother will pass on her legacy and Bo will step into that position of leadership," he reminded. "You don't have to kneel at his feet, Chloe. But you have to know that, one day, he'll be your alpha, and he'll deserve your respect."

"He'll get my respect when he earns it," she muttered, scowling as she thought of her older brother.

Gabe sighed. "And what does he have to do in order to earn it?"

"Stop being an ass would be a nice start."

Mouth twitching with amusement, he hid it behind a hand as he leaned back in his chair, raising his glasses back to his face. "Why don't you go see how that's coming then? And tell him to set the table while you're at it."

"Yeah, yeah," she sighed, standing from the couch and making her way to the door. She paused on the threshold though. "Dad…?"

He hummed in acknowledgement.

"Do you trust Deucalion?"

He looked back at her, his brow knit. "What does your gut tell you about him?"

"Nothing good."

With a sigh, he admitted, "So does mine."

A shiver of worry ran down her spine and she immediately stood a little straighter, the urge to seek out her mother strong. "Should mom—?"

Before she could continue, he interrupted her, a touch of disapproval in his voice. "Your mother is strong, very capable… She knows what she's doing."

She bowed her head briefly, taking his words to heart. It wasn't her place to question her mother's actions or motives; Moira had only ever done right by the pack. But there were times when something inside her, a tiny voice tickling at the back of her throat, became desperate to cry out and speak her mind. She quieted it, as a beta wolf should, but the voice rarely faded. That was why she'd taken to writing, because there, nobody could censor her. There was nobody who would tell her to be quiet, to accept the rule of thumb, to follow tradition because it was tradition. She could write to her heart's content and never would anybody tell her that her words were wrong, her opinions void. It wasn't that her mother tried to put her down, it was that she was the alpha, she was the final say, and sometimes, Chloe didn't like that.

But the idea that someday her mother wouldn't be, and Bo would stand in her place, was something she could barely stomach. She loved her brother, truly she did, deep into her bones. But he didn't have the control her mother had, he didn't have the peace inside him that Moira had long ago perfected. Bo lived on the stories of blood and gore and war. He bathed in it like it was his morning meal and his nightly dessert. He wanted to reign supreme and he relished the day he would have the power to do so.

The shiver that shook her then was of a different variety, one for the future she dreaded to think of.

Turning on her heel, she left her father's office, her mind elsewhere as she made her way downstairs. She didn't bother telling Bo to set the table, he'd only balk and complain. She did it herself and she checked dinner while she was at it, keeping her body busy while her mind was awhirl with scenarios. Was Deucalion really the man of legend she'd learned about? What did he want? Why would he travel so far to talk to her mother in person?

But those questions wouldn't get answered, not that night.

Her fingers twitched, wanting to call Lois and get her thoughts on it, but the only communication she currently had with her cousin was through mail and it took longer to get to her due to a privacy policy the base had put into effect. It was likely that, by the time Lois got her letter, the issue would already have been dealt with. Not for the first time, she really wished her uncle hadn't moved them halfway across the country, or that he'd moved home by now. She hadn't seen Lois since last Thanksgiving; she'd invited her down for Christmas, but Uncle Sam had taken her and Lucy away on a vacation and, while Chloe missed her, she also knew that Lois treasured any real time she got to spend with her dad that didn't involve telling her to stop flirting with his soldiers.

When Moira returned to the house, there was no Deucalion in tow. She stopped in the kitchen to check on dinner before asking Chloe to round up her dad and the other kids. It wasn't long before they were all around the table, their heads bowed as Gabe recited an old prayer that wished peace upon everyone at the table. Bo was the first to reach for food, a sign that everyone else could too. As the plates started to fill up, the conversation overflowed. While Noah wasn't much of a talker, Sam was happy to tell everyone about her day, every single moment, from the second she opened her eyes to the moment she sat down for dinner. And as soon as she stopped to take a breath, Brody was happy to fill the silence with his stories of various animals he'd met and helped that day.

Chloe's attention went back and forth between her mother, poised and calm as she ate, to her brother, stuffing his mouth full of food, talking as he chewed, not the least bit curious about the visitor they'd received. Bo was tall, towering over six feet, with dark blue eyes and blonde hair the same shade as hers. He was lean but muscled, with wide shoulders and thick biceps that he often let the younger kids hang off of like a badge of honor. He looked like an alpha wolf; all power, all overwhelming masculine strength. It was the stuff on the inside that he lacked; the intricate details that her mother exuded with every breath, bypassing her eldest son entirely. Chloe regretted that. She regretted how a part of her thought it unfair that he should be born first, bred and raised to become the next in line, when he could never understand the honor of it.

Sibling rivalry, her parents had told her when she was young. But she knew it was something else, something deeply ingrained within her that was aware, completely and entirely, that Bo was not meant to be alpha. Because the truth of it was, Chloe didn't want to be alpha instead, she just didn't think he should, or could, be, not the way their pack deserved.

"You're quiet tonight," Moira said, drawing her attention.

Chloe attempted a smile. "I'm tired," she explained.

And she wasn't lying; her mind had been on overdrive for most of the day, from the matter of Deucalion's surprise visit to the reminder that one day Bo would stand where their mother stood. It was mental exhaustion, definitely. But she also felt something, deep in her chest, clawing at her for attention. Something was coming, and she wasn't going to like it.

Moira rubbed her hand over Chloe's arm reassuringly. "We'll talk later," she promised her daughter, smiling at her gently.

"I'd like that."

Dinner continued as Sam demanded attention, remembering a particular tree that she climbed and felt was in desperate need of talking about.

Chloe put her previous thoughts behind her and instead focused on family, smiling as Sam offered to show them the "seriously cool" flip she'd done earlier, this time using the counter. Her mother shook her head in exasperation before directing her daughter back to the table to finish eating, but Chloe knew as soon as she was finished her food, Sam would be flipping herself off of everything she could, and Moira would merely smile at her daughter's antics.

Hours later, Chloe found herself in her bedroom, finishing up the last of her homework. She wanted the weekend free because her dad promised to take her into the next city over for a supply run. While Chloe would always be at home in the woods, there was still a part of her that enjoyed city life. Growing up, the responsibility of the pack had been hammered into her, but it'd never dulled the hope inside her that one day she could still be a journalist. She wanted to travel the world looking for stories and write them herself. She wanted to be what her dad was to her; the wordsmith who made whole worlds exist in the minds of all who listened, or, in her case, read.

But in order to do that, she would have to leave the pack, at least temporarily. Packs thrived on numbers and putting too much distance between a beta and their alpha wasn't ideal. They relied on each other not only for survival, but for guidance, support, love, and companionship. It might not have been a problem if where she wanted to go to school and eventually work was nearby, but Metropolis wasn't exactly the next town over. And, simply put, there was no way, no matter how much they loved her, that the Sullivan pack would move to Metropolis for her to pursue journalism. She understood that, too. The longer she stayed, the more effort she put into her pack, the longer her mother would be alpha, taking in the power that her kids gave her to defy the logistics of time and stand as leader of her family. It wasn't out of malicious means and, truthfully, if her mother was ever tired, ever ready to release her alpha status, Chloe would accept it and let her rest, but she didn't think Bo was ready. He needed more time to grow up, to learn the world, to understand what it meant to take care of the pack and not solely himself. He was still selfish and he needed to be selfless.

It was those thoughts that her mother interrupted late that night.

Chloe felt the prickle of awareness on the back of her neck and breathed in subtly, immediately calmed by the scent of her mother; a rich, earthy note that made her heart warm. The scent filled the room as she entered, taking a seat on the edge of Choe's bed.

Moira moved like water; each movement was measured, it was slow but aware. It was strong and could pick up speed if necessary, it could attack at any moment, but often it was still on the surface and rushing underneath. Chloe waited for her to speak, as she often did. Her mother always took her time with her words, thinking them through, over and over, before she voiced what she was thinking. Her whole life, Chloe couldn't remember one time that Moira had lashed out and said something in anger. Not to her children, at least. But there was a reason she was an alpha, there was a reason power fit her, and that was because she knew how to manipulate it to her benefit. When it came to talking to other packs, she was cool headed, but she was also defensive and protective. Her children, her pack, would always come first. She might want to help others, to pass on her wisdom and help guide them in their choices as fellow alpha leaders, but if they threatened her or her family, there was nothing like the wrath of Moira Sullivan in a rage.

As much as Chloe could say that she had seen her mother as a pivotal lighthouse in the storm, she could also say that she had seen her wear the blood of her enemies. "You can't speak of war until you've tasted death," she used to tell Bo, who was always hungry for a fight. There was something about seeing her mother, her mouth ringed in blood, her hands dripping with it, that was both a comfort and a nightmare of Chloe's. But there was truth in it; two sides to every person, no matter how they might seem. Deception; the most cunning of allies and adversaries alike.

"You saw me with Deucalion earlier," Moira began.

"You caught my scent."

"You weren't trying to hide it."

Chloe shrugged. "I didn't think I had to."

Moira stared at her a moment. "Deucalion is not someone you play with, Chloe… He's not someone you trust, nor is he someone you blatantly accuse of being untrustworthy."

"Then what  _do_ you do?"

She tipped her head, her blue eyes swirling before they became that bright red that soothed her eldest daughter. "You take precautions."

"If you don't trust him, why let him come here? Why even talk to him?"

Her lips curled up at the corners, a sign that she thought Chloe was being naïve, which never failed to irk her. "Do you invite the hungry wolf to dinner or do you leave him outside to starve?"

Chloe blinked at the change of subject. "I… I don't… It depends, doesn't it?"

"You feed him," Moira said simply. "If you leave him outside, he only grows hungrier, and more restless. And now, when he strikes, he does it out of vengeance. He does it with the idea in mind that you deserve it, because you didn't offer him kindness…"

"Just because you feed him doesn't mean he won't bite you," she argued.

" _That…_  depends on what you feed him."

With that, Moira rose from the bed, bent to kiss Chloe's hair, and then swept out of the room, leaving her to ponder her all too elusive words.

However, an hour later, those words were still lingering with her, still gnawing at her brain, and she decided that it was the confines of her room and the house that was keeping her from getting any kind of understanding. So she put her books away and left her desk, tugging on a pair of runners before she made her way downstairs. She always felt better, clearer, after a run; the scents and sounds of the forest were calming and helped to alleviate the fog that would otherwise clutter her thinking.

She found Bo on the porch, his feet up on the railing as he stared up at the moon, letting it bathe his face in pale light.

"Don't go too far from the house," he ordered.

She rolled her eyes. "Thanks, but I think I can handle the woodland creatures."

He snorted, never opening his eyes, his thick arms crossed over his chest. "Maybe it's the woodland creatures I'm worried about."

She walked down the stairs, not bothering to reply.

"You've got one hour before I come looking for you!"

"Yeah, yeah."

Chloe took off for the forest at a sprint. Her house was tucked comfortably away from most visitors. Though there was a path to drive when necessary, it was hidden to most, and made it difficult for anybody who didn't know the family to find their way. Hectares of forest surrounded the property, nothing but trees, fresh, rushing water, and animals free of restriction. She ran through the trees in what appeared to her to be almost slow-motion, she could see every obstacle before she met it, leaping and flipping, using her surroundings to help her keep her balance and to avoid collision. It was freeing. The most incredible feeling she'd ever known was to harness the world around her and use it to her advantage. She felt the air spin around her, the ground bend to her will, her body arc and split and twist as if every atom, every limb, every inch of her was one with nature.

It was exquisite.

She ran until she reached the edge, the sounds of the highway finally reaching her ears. This was where the rest of the world started to eke into their private paradise. She drew back from it, chin bent slightly, like a dog who knew that a car would flatten it like a pancake. She turned back, walking the way she'd come, enjoying the sweet scent of pine on the air and the squish of muddy earth under her feet. She let her hands drag over the bark of trees and catch on the gnarled branches reaching for her. She flashed her eyes at passing animals, a golden hue, offering nothing but understanding as they moved about in their lives. They were not her prey, they were her allies. She got no thrill out of hunting, letting others be as they wanted to be. If forced to attack, she would, and could, but she didn't seek it out like Bo.

In school, Bo could have been just narrowly categorized as a bully. He knew he was stronger, faster, and he used that to put others in their place. On sports teams, in the hallways, wherever he could assert his dominance, and it bothered her. Some days she wanted to take him by the scruff of his neck and shake him, make him see that he wasn't given this gift so that he could lord it over others. He was privileged to be born into the family he was. Instead, she waited for the day when he would graduate, and finally, he had. Now she had two years free of his harassing figure in the hallways. Two years in which she wouldn't have to tether the wolf inside her that wanted to challenge him every time he pushed or shoved or scared one of their peers.

It scared her, sometimes. Not him, not really. But the need inside her to make him stop. The part of her that was almost feral with the desperation to pull him back and rein him in. It was her mother's duty, however, and her father's blind spot. At his heart, she truly believed Bo was a good man, he was just misguided, drunk on power, unaware of how his actions affected others. And she hoped that one day he would realize the error of his ways. She hoped because she thought, if he didn't, that one day she might have to make him.

It was no secret that female wolves could take more pain than men. It was no surprise, either, that her mother was far more powerful than Bo would ever be. And Chloe, though she rarely gave it thought, took after her mother in many regards, not the least of which in this way. While she was young and still inexperienced in many ways, she was a leader, she was controlled, and she recognized the importance of putting the pack before herself.

Chloe was half-way home when she heard it. It wasn't his footsteps that caught her attention, it was the walking stick. It moved through the air differently, slashed and cut through it, not like a limb, not like a body, but like a foreign attachment that didn't belong in the depths of the forest. Her head swiveled, senses on alert, but it was pointless.

Deucalion was upon her before she could even think of reacting.

"You're more like your mother than I expected..." his smooth accent reached her.

Her first reaction was to bare her teeth and crouch, but she pulled on the tensed strings of her control and kept her teeth from elongating. Instead, she watched Deucalion, her eyes the only part of her that moved, tracking him like the predator she knew him to be. "Did you have a lot of expectations when you decided to stalk me?"

His lips curled up at the corners, though she doubted he was amused with her snark so much as her gall. "Did Moira tell you I knew her when she was your age?"

Chloe raised a brow but kept quiet, because no, she hadn't, but her mother was selective about what information she let slip and what she held close to her chest. Then again, that probably had a lot to do with Chloe's fondness for listening in on others' conversations.

"She was very beautiful… Still is, of course. But back then, she was… magnificent. A force to be reckoned with. The kind of wolf that others flocked to, desperate to catch her eye…"

He painted an exaggerated picture, Chloe was sure, but a part of her could still imagine it. She'd seen pictures of Moira and she was truly stunning. Chloe had once been jealous of her, wishing she'd taken more after her than her father. With her fair skin and bright blue eyes in direct contract to her inky black hair, it was no wonder that others would want her. And wolves were a territorial bunch; they fought for the right to be with who they wanted, the victor often getting who they wanted in the end. But Moira was not like other wolves; she didn't want to be fought for. She'd already chosen.

"Now that she's mated, they come to her for wisdom, for guidance…"

"Is that why you came? For guidance?"

He turned to look at her, though she knew that his blindness made it impossible for him to truly see her. She'd heard rumors that he had some of his vision, but she couldn't be sure how true they were. She had friends in distant packs, but anything she learned from them was as thin as ghost stories, nothing to hold them up.

"Something like that," he mused, a smile turning up his mouth.

She imagined if he didn't give off such a dark, unforgiving air, he might be handsome, and she wondered if he was always this way. Or if maybe, perhaps when he'd known her mother as a teenager, there had been another side to him. A side that didn't make her gut twist with warning.

"Tell me, Chloe, do you ever wonder what it will be like when the pack is yours?"

Her brow furrowed. "The pack will be Bo's, and only when my mom thinks he's ready."

He hummed, turning his head to one side, cocking it as if he was listening for something. But Chloe's ears were sharp, aware, and she couldn't make out anything nearby, not anything of use, anyway. A few deer, rabbits, a stray fox or two. But no people, no family, nobody to help her if this went sideways.

"And when will that be, do you know?"

She pressed her lips in a thin line. "It's not my business. Mom will know when he's ready."

"But you don't think he ever will be, do you?"

"It's not my business," she repeated.

"You think he's too out of control, too power-hungry, too eager to be alpha…"

 _Yes, yes, yes_.

"It's not my—"

"But you must have an  _opinion_ …" he interrupted, his voice silky, slick with manipulation, with knowing. "You must see Bo as he trains with your mother, as he ignores her teachings. You must wonder about the future, about what will become of your siblings… Will he take care of them? Treat them right? Will your mother regret letting him become alpha, and will she be strong enough to take it back from him…? By force."

Her heart clenched in her chest and she glared at him. "She would never hurt Bo. She'd never hurt any of us. And if you think she would, you don't know her," she ground out, her teeth grit so tightly she could feel them straining.

He stared a moment longer. "No, she wouldn't…" he agreed. "And neither would you."

Her brow furrowed. "Of course I wouldn't."

"Not even for the power she possessed?" he queried. "To be stronger than all others, to stop people like Bo from crushing the weak-willed under his heavy finger?"

She took a step toward him, angry not only that he spoke of her brother in ways only she was allowed to think, only blood could question, but because he suggested something so vile, so disgusting to her, that for a moment she almost forgot about the consequences of attacking a seasoned alpha. "I would sooner pull my own beating heart out than hurt one hair on any of their heads."

He stepped forward, meeting her squarely, and tipped his head down. Even through his glasses, despite his lack of vision, Chloe swore he stared right into her soul in that moment. "Then you are a braver wolf than many…" He turned on his heel then and calmly walked away, somehow knowing exactly where to step and when to move. "Bravery is rarely smart though."

"And it usually gets you killed," she whispered, remembering her father's words as clearly as the day he told them to her, years ago, when she'd tried to save a stray dog from being run over in the street.

She wasn't sure if it was coincidence or not, but those words chilled her now rather than how they'd once only made her roll her eyes. Deucalion did not say them with the same affectionate chastising that her dad did. Instead, he said them with a mocking finality that she knew said more than she wanted to hear.

She hurried back to her house, panic tugging at her heart, and was only comforted when she found it just as she left it. Most of the lights were off, except the porch light and her bedroom on the second floor. Bo was waiting for her, half-asleep and all the more innocent looking for it. She climbed the steps swiftly and moved toward him, her head cocked to one side as she looked him over. With his face relaxed, the malice she sometimes saw in the halls of her school was nowhere to be seen. He took after their dad in looks, mostly. His face was angular where Chloe's was softer, rounder, like their mother's. Bo was handsome and, when he wanted to be, charming. She couldn't count on both hands how many girlfriends he'd had and she didn't care to. At home, he could be warm. Although he didn't show it the same, she knew he loved his brothers and sisters more than anyone, and he listened to his parents, even if he didn't always agree with them. But like her mother was both a gentle mother and a vicious warrior, Bo was a loving brother and a cruel enemy. She had trouble differentiating between the two some days, but tonight she didn't struggle in the least.

What Deucalion had said bothered her, but not enough to make her question her alliances. Yes, she had trouble believing Bo was ready to be an alpha, but she also trusted that her mother would not give him that power until he was ready to take it on. And he wasn't, not by a long shot. Her mother was still strong, still able, and she would stand as matriarch and alpha for as long as she could.

With that thought, Chloe reached over and socked Bo in the shoulder. "C'mon, meathead. You can't sleep out here. You know dad hates that."

He let out a long, dismissive hum. "I like it out here… Closer to the moon."

"And farther from the pack." She moved to the door. "You can't play sentinel all night. It's nearly one, and you have to drive Sam and Brody in to town tomorrow."

He grumbled, but stood from the bench, stretching his arms out above his head and twisting it around until his neck gave a crack. He followed her inside, his gait lazy, and kicked his shoes off by the door, locking it behind him.

Chloe climbed the stairs quickly, her footsteps silent, and heard him lumbering up behind her, making no effort to be quiet. This was one of the many times she was reminded that Bo was just her overlarge brother, where power trips faded away and she was left with the boy who taught her how to swim and ride a bike and who held her hand through every transformation when she was a little girl. He tucked her into bed at night and read her stories and sat with her on the bus to and from school, despite being older and cooler than her as the years went on. So when he ruffled her hair as he walked past her to his room, she only smiled to herself, choosing not to shove him or scowl or slap his hand away.

The pack came first, yes. Family, blood, it was a priority.

She didn't care what Deucalion was hinting at, what hidden message he left for her to pick apart until her brain couldn't take any more subterfuge. This was her home and her pack and she would guard it with her life.

She had no idea how true that was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] Amazing fic poster made by [dhfreak](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day), so leave some love on her Tumblr!
> 
> [2] The next chapter will be when Derek and Chloe finally meet! :) 
> 
> Especially because it's such a small fanbase for this particular crossover, please be sure to leave a review so I know all of this time and energy isn't going to waste.
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> \- **Lee | Fina**


	5. A Tail of Two Packs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] Amazing fic poster made by [dhfreak](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day), so leave some love on her Tumblr!
> 
> [2] **Chloe's outfit** : [link](http://www.polyvore.com/blue_gold_chloe/set?id=102296107).

**[ ](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day) **

**IV**. [2003]

The Sullivan family set out for Beacon Hills late on Wednesday. The Wolf Moon was that coming Saturday and Chloe's mother had made the surprising decision to spend it with her best friend Talia Hale, a woman Chloe had only ever knew about through stories growing up. Having heard only good things, Chloe was eager to meet the woman who Moira often looked to for guidance and support in pack decisions, something she usually only shared with her husband.

It took two days traveling and the usually active family was restless. Chloe was desperate to stretch her legs and she knew the rest of her siblings were just as eager. Bo had slept through most of the driving, and was currently taking up a large portion of the backseat, which meant Sam and Brody were squished together beside him. Noah, thankfully, kept to his quiet corner, buried in his comic books. Though he had passed out on her shoulder on the morning when they first left, she couldn't blame him since it was well before dawn, and he had tried to give her space ever since.

When the car pulled up to the Hale house, she was surprised by how at ease she felt. It was obvious the Hales were wealthy, much like her own family. The three story house that stood in front of her was beautiful, with a stone base under its predominantly wood structure. A long porch lined the front, dressed in cushioned chairs and benches, wind chimes dangling near a support beam. Turning her attention away from the house, she looked out on the surrounding property. Like her own home, there was a large front yard, dotted with various toys, a couple picnic tables, and a covered barbecue. The trees outlining the yard were darker, the ground a little more damp. All around them was a forest preserve and it was beautiful.

Chloe helped the younger kids pile out of the car. Her mother was already moving across the lawn to embrace her long-time friend, cradling Talia in her arms like a beloved sister she hadn't seen in ages. Chloe was briefly reminded of Lois and wondered how she was doing and if she'd received her latest letter. The last time they'd talked, her cousin was getting into trouble, which wasn't all that surprising, really. It was Lois' default setting. She decided to call her later and see how she was faring in Smallville. She'd recently gone back to high school and was in a love/hate  _thing_ with some farm boy named Clark Kent. Whoever he was, Chloe knew he'd have his hands full.

Turning her attention back to the reunion in front of her, she watched as Talia and Moira drew back, their foreheads still pressed together a long moment, before finally Moira raised an arm toward her kids, beckoning them forward. They lined up with Bo at the forefront and followed downwards age-wise.

Behind Talia, her children came out of the house, lining up in a similar fashion.

"Head count?" she asked, peering back at her eldest boy.

"We're missing Hope."

"Wait! Wait, I'm coming," came a voice, hurried steps bringing a young girl to the end of the group, the others looking amused by her entrance.

"Guests first," Talia said.

Moira grinned. "You know Gabe," she said, reaching for her husband's hand. Starting at her youngest, Moira listed them all off, pointing as she went. "Brody, Samantha, Noah, Chloe, and Bo."

Talia looked at each of them as their name was called, taking a moment to memorize their features. When roll call finished, she looked back at Bo, a faint smile tugging at her lips as she tipped her head to accommodate his height, and then her gaze fell back to Chloe momentarily.

Finally, Talia turned to her own children and, following the pattern of youngest to oldest, stepped behind the smallest of the group. The little girl who'd shown up late, who couldn't be more than four, raised her chin. "Hope," Talia stated, her hand on her youngest's shoulder before she moved to the girl next to her. About Sam's age, Cora had pin-straight brown hair falling in her eyes. Two boys followed; the shorter one, Dillon, looked eager to leave. Talia had to reach a little higher for her eldest son, who stood taller than her. "Derek." Finally, she moved to the side of her daughter, her arm moving around her waist and squeezing affectionately. "And Laura." She cast her eyes around before looking back at Moira. "And I'm sure my brother Peter is around here somewhere."

"He always liked to make an entrance," Moira mused.

Talia grinned slowly. "Unfortunately."

It became clear the two women wanted to catch up, so Chloe wasn't surprised when they told the children to get to know each other before walking off toward the house. Her dad was already making his way back to the SUV, intent on dropping everything off at the hotel. While Talia had invited them to stay with her, there had been some worry that too many werewolves and so little space would mean a clash of personalities they couldn't afford at the moment. With the Wolf Moon, it meant packs were coming in from all around California, and it was better to show a united front than focus on any petty arguments children might get into. That said, they still expected the Sullivans and Hales to bond, and so it was left to them as they stood staring awkwardly at each other in the yard.

"This is fun," Bo muttered under his breath.

"And you're making it so much better," Chloe answered, raising a brow up at him.

He shrugged, tucking his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "Well, dad left with the Monopoly board, so I'm out of ideas..."

Sighing, she glared up at him, before finally turning back to the others, eyeing Derek and Laura for a moment. "I imagine we'll be spending most of the weekend around here. Mind showing us around?"

The two eldest Hales exchanged a look before finally looking back and nodding.

"It must've been a long drive," Laura noted. "You probably want to stretch your legs."

Chloe offered a grin. "You have no idea."

Derek's eyes flashed blue for a moment, catching her attention, but he looked away quickly, frowning to himself.

Her lips curled down at the corners thoughtfully. She glanced at Bo, but he was already distracted, approaching the edge of the woods, not bothering to wait for the others. Chloe turned back to make sure her brothers and sister were ready to go, not surprised to find Sam was giving Brody a piggyback while they talked. Or, more accurately, Sam talked and Brody listened. Noah was lingering nearby, not quite ready to reach out and make friends with Dillon, who she was pretty sure was closest to him in age. She wasn't surprised; Noah didn't make friends easily, being as quiet and shy as he was. She hoped, however, that might change a little during their stay.

While Laura went inside to let their mother's know where they were going, Cora moved around to stand next to Derek, leaning against his side and nuzzling into his hand as it rested atop her head.

Hearing the crunch of twigs underfoot, Chloe turned back to see Bo already traipsing through the woods. "Your impatience is showing," she shouted after him. "It's not a race!"

"If it was, I'd win," he called back.

Chloe snorted. "Not likely."

She turned back when she heard Laura approaching them once more and found Derek staring at her curiously, his brow furrowed. Her attention moved to his sister, however, as Laura said they could start moving. As a group, they made their way toward the forest and Chloe could barely suppress the part of her that was desperate to let loose and start running. She could already feel the energy pumping throughout her body, aching for release. But they had the younger kids with them and, as much as she knew they were agile, not all of them knew the woods well enough to be released to run wherever the pleased. If they'd been at home, Chloe wouldn't have been as worried, but there were a lot of packs in the area, not all of them friendly.

"Is it any different here?" Laura wondered, apparently noticing how she kept taking deep breaths.

"It's warmer here, so it smells differently," she explained, her eyes flashing gold as she took a look around. "And the trees are darker." She rested a hand against the bark of one. "But it still smells right."

"Like freedom."

"Exactly." She breathed in deep, letting it all fill her senses, the scents imbedded in her nose, the air filling her lungs. She could almost taste it and it made her skin prickle with awareness.

"Chlo…"

She felt a bump at her shoulder and turned to see Noah beside her.

"I want to run," he told her, his feet shifting.

She reached out to squeeze his shoulder gently. "Together?"

He nodded.

She turned her head to look at Samantha, who'd already moved to walk with Cora, bringing Brody along with her. "I'll watch them," Derek assured.

Chloe looked up at him, considered it for a moment, and then nodded. "Just a quick run," she said, both a promise to him and a restriction for Noah.

Derek's chin lowered in acknowledgement and she turned back toward her younger brother.

"Ready?"

He grinned up at her, his teeth elongating and fur growing across his formerly pale, smooth cheeks. His face transformed into, what she considered to be, a ferociously adorable wolf. He was still in the middle of puberty and it showed. While she let her teeth out, she didn't transform completely, and winked at him before she took off. Noah was much faster than her and didn't bother holding back as he leapt over logs and flipped in the air with the ease of someone who'd done it all their lives. He had to slow down a little, his legs much longer than hers, but he still managed to exert himself, getting all of that restless energy out.

When they circled back to the group, she was panting, exhilarated, and eager for more. Noah was content though, and moved to stand near Sam and Brody, taking up the space behind them, contently quiet. Chloe briefly considered who she should walk with; Laura was at the front while Derek was taking up the rear, the children between them for safety reasons. Bo was still on his own, exploring and no doubt planning to leap out and attempt to startle everyone. Finally, she decided it made more sense to walk with Derek, if only because Laura was on Bo's level, training to be alpha, while Derek was a beta like her.

He glanced at her as they fell into step and she considered asking him about the blue eyes, fully aware of what they meant. But she also knew that it was be an invasion of privacy, and her father's voice in her head was quick to warn her away from that path, especially since they'd only just met. Whatever Derek did, it was his story to tell and not hers to pry from him. Or that's what she told herself to keep the itch of curiosity from making her blurt out the questions she wanted answers to.

"My mom's been talking about coming down here for years," she told him in way of a conversation starter. "I know she missed Talia, but there wasn't ever really a good time to visit."

He nodded. "Mom's been excited for months since she found out."

"I'm surprised we're all only meeting now."

He glanced ahead at his sister before looking back at her. "I've heard some things about alliances breaking down. Packs being killed off… I think they're using the Wolf Moon to try and find out what's going on, see if anybody knows anything."

She frowned. "In California, or in general?"

"Mostly in California, but I've heard a few from other states are having problems."

"When did it start?"

He shrugged. "This last year, I guess." He nodded his head forward. "She talks about it more with Laura than me."

Chloe nodded. Bo tended to learn things she wasn't privy to as well, but Chloe had her ways of finding things out, pack ranking be damned. "Did she tell you about the packs?"

He shook his head. "My uncle Peter."

She quirked a brow. "The one who likes to make a big entrance?"

His lips twitched with humor as he nodded. It faded a moment later as he cast his eyes to the right, his shoulders tightening.

She turned to him curiously, feeling a prickle of unease run through her at his sudden change of body language. "What?"

"Your brother is coming back around."

Chloe turned her head and searched the treeline but couldn't see Bo anywhere. She listened hard, but couldn't hear his footsteps approaching, which usually gave him away. "How do you know?"

"Because Laura looks relaxed."

She frowned. "Shouldn't she look more alert?" She tucked her hands into the pockets of her jacket. "Not that Bo is a threat, but he does like to show up others."

"It's a game Laura does, makes them think she's at ease, that she doesn't know they're coming…"

Chloe smiled slowly, nodding. "Smart… She'll make a good alpha one day."

"She will," he agreed, not the least bit bitter.

She hummed, looking his profile over thoughtfully. Derek was taller than his sister and she could see he was already starting to grow into the strength of his wolf, his shoulders wide, his arms leanly muscled. She imagined in a few more years, he'd be almost as large as Bo, and yet he didn't seem much like her brother. At least not so far. He was calm, comfortable around the younger kids, and appreciated his sister's strengths. Chloe, for all that she knew her brother loved her, was aware that he could be jealous sometimes. She was smart and she'd taken to tracking quicker than he had. In many regards, she was a stronger leader and more equipped for the role he was born to. She never said it, no one did, but Bo knew. And she thought, if their positions were reversed, if she were to be next in line for alpha, he would've been angry about it. It wasn't that he thought women were weaker than men, just weaker than him. And maybe, under normal circumstances, that was true, but there was more to strength than just the physical, and that's where Bo fell flat.

"What about Bo?" Derek voiced, seeming to catch on to her reticence.

She struggled with what to say at first. She didn't like lying, she also didn't think she should have to, but Derek wasn't pack, and she had only just met him. If he related it back to his sister or mother, it would look bad, like there was dissent within the pack. The last thing she wanted was to make her mother look bad, and that's exactly what would happen if she let it be known that she didn't trust Bo to lead them properly.

She turned to look at Derek, her lips parted, but no words escaping.

He stared back at her, reading her face more than anything. He bowed his head in short understanding and then, before they could discuss it further, there was a noise ahead. They turned swiftly, watching as Bo broke from the woods and lunged. The kids startled, having been in conversation and unaware of their surroundings. Instead of catching Laura off-guard, however, he quickly found himself on the ground, eating dirt. Laura had been expecting him and she'd rolled to the right, catching him mid-lunge before she threw him to the ground. It was embarrassing. Bo was older than Laura and should have been able to overcome her, but he was sloppy and he always assumed his adversary wasn't as capable as him.

The children giggled when he raised his head and gave it a shake, dust and leaves falling from his hair. He pushed himself up and looked over at a smugly smirking Laura.

"Not bad," he told her.

She snorted. "If you get any more obvious, I might actually have to collar you."

He laughed, taking it better than Chloe expected. Maybe it was just when his sister made him look bad that he took it to heart.

Chloe's eyes narrowed, not sure how to feel about that insight.

"There's a creek nearby," Derek said, turning to look at her. "We can walk down there before we circle back to the house."

She nodded agreeably, before calling forward, "Bo, we're going to the creek."

Her brother ignored her, focused instead of Laura, and Chloe rolled her eyes. Now she got it. He wasn't showing off for the sake of male pride, but because he wanted Laura to notice him. Deciding that was a disaster she didn't want to witness, she started shuffling the kids forward, moving them past Laura and Bo, who were apparently flirting now.

"I wouldn't worry about it," Derek said when they were out of sight of the two alphas-in-training.

"No? You haven't seen his last few relationships… All three of which were happening at the same time."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "It's fine."

She raised a brow at him, wondering how he could be so at ease with his sister getting closer to a guy he now knew wasn't exactly good to his girlfriends.

"Laura won't be…  _interested_ in him. She's probably just using his attraction to her advantage."

"How do you know she won't—" She stopped herself, her eyes darting away, and realized suddenly that Laura wouldn't like Bo because she wasn't interested in men. The thought made her laugh. Finally, a woman who wouldn't fall for Bo's usual line of bullshit. Sure, she probably should've been concerned that Bo might accidentally spill some pack secrets, but, as much as her brother might think with his other head, he was smarter than that.

Comforted with the idea that her brother wasn't going to somehow screw things up and make her mom look bad by sleeping with her best friend's daughter, Chloe put her attention pack on the kids in front of her. Derek led them down to the creek, where the younger kids were quickly distracted. Chloe wasn't surprised to find Brody exploring, mostly insects and critters as he overturned rocks and walked through the shallow, rocky creek bed. Samantha, on the other hand, was hanging off a tree branch by her legs, her long dark blonde hair falling in a sheet that swung along with her. In the tree next to hers, Cora was doing the same, and on the count of three they'd swing themselves up and forward, release their legs, and flip through the air before landing in a perfect crouch. Hope, Dillon, and Noah were giving them a score out of 10, and so far Cora was winning by 2.

Derek found a dry log to sit on and she joined him, crossing her legs and resting her elbow on her knee as she leaned forward, smiling as Brody held up yet another bug for her to see, his smile sunny with excitement.

"Good job," she praised, grinning back.

He nodded before replacing the rock and moving on, splashing as he went.

Derek and Chloe watched Cora and Sam for a while, but instead of rating them aloud as the others did, they discreetly motioned fingers at each other. It wasn't until Cora's jeans caught on the branch and she slipped out of the tree, losing her balance, that the mood turned a little. Derek's eyes flashed that same blue that caught her curiosity, but faded as quickly as it had come. Cora merely dusted herself off, shot her brother a thumb's up, and climbed back into the tree to continue.

He caught Chloe staring at him, but instead of making it awkward or asking the question that was still nagging at her, she turned her attention back to the creek. "You grew up in Beacon Hills?" she asked.

He breathed a faint sigh of relief. "It's Hale territory… It goes back generations."

"Great, great, great grandfather Hale might've played in this creek then, huh?"

He grinned. "Probably… I don't know if he went looking for snakes though."

Chloe's eyes widened as Brody happily made his way over to her, a snake hanging from his fingers, not the least bit afraid. Squeaking in protest, she stood from the log and stepped behind it. "Brody, no…" She pointed back toward where he came from. "Put it back.  _Gently_."

He cocked his head at her. "But I like it. I want to take it home... His name is Henry."

"His name is  _not_ Henry," she argued, shuffling farther away when Brody continued walking toward her. "His name is 'Dead,' if you don't stop walking toward me," she muttered.

Derek looked back at her, amused. "Afraid of a little snake?"

Her eyes flashed yellow and she snapped her teeth at him in irritation rather than real aggression. "There was an incident."

His brow furrowed curiously but her attention was back on her youngest brother. "Brody, please, you have enough pets… And this snake lives here, it grew up here, this is its home. You really want to take it away? It probably has a family."

He shrugged. "I can be its family."

Chloe shook her head, darting left when he raised his arm, the snake coiled around him as he held its head level with his thumb. She was fully aware that she was now using Derek as a shield, her hand on his shoulder, ready to shove him forward if her brother persisted. She had the whole forest to escape into, but there were six children to be taken care of and running wasn't exactly her modus operandi.

"C'mon, Chloe, Henry's friendly, I swear!"

"I don't care if he sings lullabies at night; he's not leaving this creek."

Derek snorted before shaking his head and looking back at Brody. "Listen, I know you like Henry, and he obviously likes you, but the climate that you come from is different from here. So if you took him with you, he would suffer. It might even make him sick. And you don't want that, do you?"

Brody frowned, looking down at the snake thoughtfully before he finally shook his head.

"You can still play with him here," Derek offered. "Just maybe not so close to your sister."

With a sigh, he accepted it, and walked off, taking his snake with him.

Chloe didn't realize how much her heart was racing until her brother and his scaly friend were no longer within reach. Relieved, she retook her seat on the log, and eyed Brody, or, more accurately,  _Henry_ , warily. Feeling eyes on her, she turned to see Derek staring.

"Thank you," she told him. "That was smart and… you handled it well."

He shrugged.

"He can be stubborn," she continued. "We basically have a farm of random animals at home. A lot of them are hurt and he nurses them back to health. Most of them get returned to the wild, but a few stay with us… They wouldn't survive otherwise." She frowned. "Mom says it should be survival of the fittest, that if they aren't capable of surviving on their own, then they shouldn't live, but… Brody's too kind-hearted for that."

"So are you."

She looked over at him, her brow furrowed.

"You like what he does, I can hear it in your voice… I bet you help him take care of them."

She glanced away. "He's only six, sometimes he doesn't know what to do; he needs help… I only take care of them when he can't; feed them, bathe them…"

He hummed, his head tipped, and then smiled. "So what's the story with the snake?"

Her eyes rolled. "It's nothing special."

"It must've been something if you can't stand to be near them."

"It's… stupid," she muttered.

"It was Bo," a voice piped up.

Their attention turned then, landing on Noah, who moved to take a seat beside her on the log. He leaned forward to see Derek as he explained, "Chloe was maybe eleven, Bo was being a jerk, and he filled her bed with snakes. She'd been having nightmares and she told dad about them… Something about being buried alive, snakes everywhere… Bo overheard and he went out into the woods. He filled a box with as many snakes as he could find and then he brought them back to the house and he filled her bed with them. She woke up screaming. It took dad an hour to convince her she wasn't still dreaming."

Chloe watched his face, not surprised when she saw the anger that still clouded Noah's expression. He was young and often quiet, but he felt things on a deeper level than the rest of them. And he was very protective of his family, which was why it bothered him so much that his brother had hurt one of their own. Reaching for him, she scrubbed her fingers through his brown hair, long enough that it kept falling in his eyes.

"It's not as bad as you make it sound, I promise. I was frightened and yeah, Bo was being a jerk. He was young and dumb and he thought he was being funny."

Noah's cheek ticked disagreeably and he turned his head to look up at her. "It  _was_ that bad."

Chloe didn't know what to say because, honestly, yeah, it was pretty awful. Bo had been forced to clean up the snakes, but Chloe couldn't stand to be in her room the rest of the week. She'd slept on Noah's floor and woke up crying every night, muffling it in her pillow. She never told anybody about her nightmares after that, terrified Bo would use them against her. Wrapping an arm around her brother, she hugged him to her side. "Do me a favor, all right? And just make sure Brody isn't trying to sneak that snake of his into a pocket or something."

Noah snorted, but did as she asked, standing from the log and making his way down the creek.

When she turned, she found Derek peering at her still. He didn't say anything; in fact, they each stayed quiet for the next while. It wasn't until they gathered up the kids and started back to the house that he talked, the kids all distracted with each other, bonding easily. They didn't know where Laura or Bo were, but Chloe thought that might be best; anything that distracted Bo was good for her. Having Noah and Brody remind her of Bo's earlier cruelty further worried her about the future state of the pack.

She hadn't forgotten about Deucalion's visit a year earlier or his mysterious observations. She hadn't seen him since then and her mother never brought him up, but there was a lingering tension that made her think he could and would show up when she least expected him to. Meanwhile, Moira continued to try and show Bo the ropes and Chloe kept her silence, though it was getting harder and harder to bite her tongue.

"I think I get it…" Derek said, catching her attention. She looked over, her brow furrowed, and he explained, "Why you're not sure he'll be a good alpha."

She stiffened, her eyes cast around quickly, pausing on the kids and then checking the woods. She couldn't hear Bo nearby, but if he tried, he might actually be able to keep himself hidden.

"I never said that," she reminded.

"You didn't have to. It's written on your face."

She frowned. If Derek, a virtual stranger, could tell she wasn't happy with her brother's future alpha status, what could her family see?

"Laura takes it very seriously… She's built to be an alpha, not just physically, but mentally. She takes everything our mother says to heart. It doesn't mean she always agrees with her, but she still listens, still learns… And that's the big part, right? Learning."

"My dad says it is… He says if you think you already know everything, you don't really know anything."

"My mom told me an alpha does whatever's best for the pack, even if it means sacrificing part of themselves… Sometimes, I think I'm lucky. Laura can do that, she's been raised to do that, and I… I don't know if I could." His brow furrowed. "I don't think I want that kind of responsibility."

Chloe crossed her arms loosely over her chest. "Sometimes it's not a choice… I don't think everybody always wants to do what's right. Even alphas probably have moments where they're selfish. I think what's important is that, in the end, when it comes to that choice, they don't pick themselves."

"And Bo would?"

She looked up at him and frowned. "I don't know… I don't think he would ever do anything to purposely hurt us. I just don't know if he's strong enough to sacrifice himself, if it ever came to that."

"Maybe it won't…" Derek shrugged. "Maybe he'll never have to be tested like that."

"In an ideal world," she mused. "But if what you said is right, if packs are being dismantled or killed, then I think we might have to face something big, and soon." She worried her lip with her teeth so hard she could almost taste blood.

Derek's hand found her shoulder, warm and comforting. It surprised her at first, not only that she was leaning into the touch but that she'd shared so much with him in so little time. Usually it took her longer to trust someone, but there was something about Derek that made her think he could be trusted. She didn't even try to listen to his heartbeat. Turning her head, she looked up at him, and for the first time realized that Derek was actually quite handsome.

He was still young, boyish, but he was growing into his looks. His eyes were a dark green and his skin was a little more tanned than her own. His black hair kept falling into his eyes, but she wondered if it was like Noah, who let it happen more as a defense mechanism, worried his eyes would flash and catch attention.

Just then, their attention was torn away when Cora suddenly fell back to walk with them, leaning her head back against his stomach to see him. "Can Sam stay at our house? She can stay in my room; we'll have a sleepover."

He stared down at her, his hands on her narrow shoulders, and gave her a little push to get her to walk ahead with the group. "Ask mom when we get home."

"Dillon said Noah and Brody can stay with him too." She smirked. "Maybe you can share with Chloe."

He rolled his eyes and gave her another nudge.

Cora hurried ahead to walk with the others, leaving the two teenagers to walk on silently.

"I doubt my mom will let all of us stay over," she told him. "She doesn't like it when the pack separates if others are in the area."

"Might be safer, all of us together though…"

"You think that now…" She raised a teasing eyebrow. "Wait until bed time hits and you've got six kids on your hands."

He conceded her point with a nod and watched as they hurried ahead, the treeline opening to the front lawn of the Hale house.

"Maybe later I can show you the town," he offered, looking over at her.

She smiled, nodding. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Those weren't butterflies in her stomach.

She was a werewolf, she didn't get those.

If she tried hard enough, she might just convince herself.


	6. The Scent of a Wolf

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amazing fic poster made by [dhfreak](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day), so leave some love on her Tumblr!

**[ ](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day) **

**V.**

Exploring Beacon Hills had to be put off for the evening. When they reached the house, Talia informed them they'd be having a barbecue to celebrate. Derek and Chloe were put on puppy-sitting duty while everyone pitched in to set up. The picnic tables were dressed with cloths, chairs were scattered across the lawn, and a blanket was laid out that the two matriarchs took for themselves.

Chloe observed Talia, comparing her body language and how she walked to Moira. The same regal bearing could be seen in Talia that Chloe always noticed in her mother, but she wasn't sure if that was from alpha status or from being such a highly revered pack leader in general. Much like Moira, Talia radiated confidence and knowledge; she was certain about every move she made and every word she spoke. It was fascinating. However, her curiosity about her would have to wait; she chose not to listen in on the conversation between the two alphas, leaving them to their reunion.

Chloe turned her attention to the children instead. Derek was at the grill, the scent of hamburgers heavy on the air. Cora and Sam had bonded quickly and were doing cartwheels across the lawn, while Dillon and Noah seemed to be looking over a comic book of some kind. She frowned when she realized Brody was missing, but spotted his dark hair in the lap of her mother and realized he was napping, using her as his pillow. Bo and Laura had yet to return, but she wasn't all that worried. She might think Bo could be pompous and show his hand too early, but he knew when to draw the line. She only hoped that when he realized Lauren wasn't interested in him, he didn't take it poorly. Bo didn't like to be made a fool of, Chloe knew that firsthand.

The picnic table shifted as Derek sat down behind her, the barbecue top closed to let the food cook. She turned to face him, feeling that same swooping in her stomach that she both enjoyed and was appalled at. This was no time to get a crush on someone. She had enough on her plate and it wasn't as if she'd get to spend a whole lot of time in Beacon Hills. They were leaving in three days, and who knew when they'd be back?

"I think Cora convinced our moms to let Sam stay over tomorrow night," Derek said.

She nodded. "It'll be weird for Brody, he's not used to not having her around. But it'll be good for her… She's a lot more social than he is."

"What about you?" he wondered.

She smiled slowly. "Am I staying over?"

He flushed quickly and let out a faint, awkward laugh. "No, I… I meant, what's life like back home? You have a lot of friends?"

She shrugged. "I have a few… I write for the newspaper, so if I'm not in class, I'm usually there."

"What do you write about?"

"Well, it started out about the  _terrible_ lunch menu, but it didn't take long to sink my claws into something more interesting…" She looked up at him, resting her elbow on the table. "I'm too curious for my own good and I guess my heightened senses help with that. So I tend to go looking for a more interesting story than whether whatever play the drama club put on was any good…" She rolled her eyes. "Even if last year's rendition of West Side Story was surprisingly awesome."

He smiled, chuckling under his breath.

"What about you?" She eyed him quickly. "I bet you're into sports."

"Guilty," he agreed, nodding.

"So was Bo. And Sam loves everything that lets her run. Noah plays soccer and he's been trying to get Brody into it too. To be honest, though, I think he takes after my dad more. He's stuck in his head a lot and it works for him. If he had a choice, I think he'd become a vet and never think twice about it."

"Maybe he could," Derek suggested. "Maybe by the time he's out of high school, things will be settled again and a few years outside of the pack wouldn't put anybody in danger."

She chewed her lip as she considered it before murmuring, "I hope so."

He left her there for a moment, pondering the possibilities, as he made his way back to the grill.

It was true that college wasn't always a 'never going to happen' situation. Point in fact, Chloe knew that Laura was attending a nearby college while balancing her duties as an apprentice under her mother. Bo had decided not to continue his education, though he'd had a number of offers given his abilities in football and basketball. Full rides, even. But he had turned them down, and it further reminded her that yes, she had some concerns, but Bo knew when the pack had to come first and, even if it meant turning down frat parties and beautiful college girls, he had done just that to learn from his mother and become the alpha he was supposed to be.

But where did that leave her? If Derek was right and local packs were being attacked, that meant that they had to be careful, they couldn't wander far from each other. Her leaving to pursue college could put them at risk. She wouldn't be around enough, even if she was emotionally attached to her family, to add to her mother's power. She wouldn't be there to defend them if something happened. She finished school in six months and then she had to decide what she was doing with her life.

Her gaze fell on her mother, on Brody, and then it moved to Samantha, to Noah, and she felt her heart constrict. Because she would always pick them, no matter how big her dreams seemed, no matter how much a part of her wanted the metaphorical inky fingertips from a long day of journalism. She would have to content herself with her personal writing and do what she could to help Bo become a better alpha.

"Those look like some deep thoughts."

Chloe looked up, smiling as she watched her dad take a seat next to her. She leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. "How the hotel?"

"Full," he sighed. "It's good we reserved early."

She nodded, before her brow furrowed and she leaned back. "You took a while. If I knew unloading the car would take so much time, I would've come with."

He shook his head. "I had someone to visit in town, a fellow emissary."

Understanding, she didn't ask questions. While her father no longer acted as emissary to their family, he still had strong ties to that community and she could respect that. After all, her favorite stories were his, soaking up the history of her ancestry, on both sides of her family.

"So? How do you like the Hales?" he wondered.

"I like them," she answered with no hesitation. "Sam's already made friends with Cora, Noah's bonding with Dillon, and Bo's trying to make an impression on Laura…" She snorted. "He's not going to succeed, but at least he's out of my hair. In fact, I haven't seen them in a while..."

"She could be burying the body and we'd never know."

Chloe laughed, bumping her shoulder against his.

He smiled down at her. "Bo can be charming when he wants to be."

"In this case, he's not her type. But trust me, I'm well aware of his so-called  _appeal_ … I think every single one of my friends had a crush on him at some point or another."

"Even Barry?"

" _Especially_ Barry."

Gabe chuckled warmly, shaking his head. "What about you, pumpkin?"

She shrugged, reaching for her ear and tugging on the lobe, before casting her eyes away. "Derek's nice."

He looked at her a long moment and then turned his gaze toward the boy at the grill. "Is nice the word you want to use?"

Chloe glared at him when she felt her fair complexion darken to red. "He  _is_. He's easy to relate to."

His arm slid around her, giving her a squeeze. "I know that's been hard for you to find… Sometimes it's hard to get close to people who are different from you, always worried they'll notice."

"I'm not lonely," she assured him. "I'm… content."

His mouth turned down in an unsure frown as he let out a heavy sigh. "Even if you were, you wouldn't tell us though, would you?" He shook his head. "Sometimes you care too much, Chloe. You sacrifice yourself."

"Isn't that a good quality? Sometimes sacrifice is for the greater good."

"And sometimes it's unnecessary…" He stared at her meaningfully. "You deserve to be happy, not just content. And if there's something you want, something that could do that for you, all you need to do is tell me…" He smiled at her gently. "I'd give you the whole world on a platter."

And she knew it too. If she asked her dad, he would drive her to Metropolis himself. But it wouldn't be right, it wouldn't be fair, and even he would know it. But he was her dad; before anything else, he was a dad. His children's happiness mattered to him more than pack politics or the guidance of an emissary, even if it would nag at him. She wouldn't do that, she wouldn't play his fatherly instincts against the natural wisdom that told him packs should stay as close together as possible.

"Well, I wouldn't say no to my own car," she told him, offering up a playful grin.

His laugh was deep and from the belly. It was her favorite kind of laugh; full of real, honest humor.

"Smells like dinner's almost ready," Talia's voice rang out.

Chloe turned, watching as she and Moira stood from the blanket. The kids abandoned their games and their comic books, all coming together to crowd near the barbecue. They formed a line and Chloe moved toward Derek, reaching for the bag of buns and the paper plates, preparing one for each person. Together, they worked to get everyone a plate with a burger on it before directing them toward the picnic tables, where the condiments were waiting. When they were finished, he closed the barbecue, leaving the leftover burgers to keep warm inside, while he and Chloe made their way to the last picnic table, sitting on either side of Hope to eat.

Dinner was nearly finished before Bo and Laura returned, piling their plates high and taking a seat at the newly abandoned middle table as the kids returned to playing. At the first picnic table, Talia, Moira, and Gabe were in deep conversation, no doubt about the missing or disbanded packs.

"There's a pack counsel tomorrow," Derek said quietly, drawing her attention.

They too were alone, sitting side by side, a stack of dirty plates in the center of the table, piled with forks and balled up napkins.

"I thought they weren't getting together until Saturday, before the moon," she said, frowning.

"I think they're trying to figure out how many packs are in town, get a feel for who's doing what before we meet up."

She hummed, her brow furrowed. Pushing her concern away, she looked over at him, "Something else your uncle Peter told you?"

He shrugged. "He gossips."

Half-grinning, she tipped her head. "You must be close if you tells you those things."

With a nod, he admitted, "He's probably my best friend."

Chloe rested her chin on her hand and thought it over. Lois was her best friend, always had been, but that relationship was strained. When she was younger, before Bo started acting out, he had been one of her best friends. But as the years went on, he grew out of her and spent more time with his teammates at school. She had friends, but she kept them at a distance. She was a creature of her pack, content to be on her own when she ran through the woods, but always returning to her family in the end.

"It's good you have that," she decided, looking at him.

He stared at her a long moment and she felt that pull between them. It had always been hard with her, meeting new people, wondering if they could see something different about her. Being around wolves made it easy, brought her guard down some, but she felt like it was even stronger around Derek. Talking to him felt natural, confiding in him things she hadn't even voiced to her father. She wondered if Bo was feeling the same thing as he talked with Laura, or, more accurately,  _flirted_ with her. Even though he'd fail to make her see him in a romantic light, could he still find himself at ease with her because they came from the same world?

Was that what she was doing with Derek? It didn't feel like that. There were threads of tension underneath, a suggestion of something more if she wanted to explore it, but she didn't feel like she had yet. Did she want to? Part of her did, but she'd always been good at tamping down on urges that she didn't need or want. Control was important to a wolf and she knew what it looked like when one didn't have it.

"Who are you running with on the Wolf Moon?" he wondered, sounding a little like he'd blurted it out while he still had the courage.

She smiled. "My pack."

"Right…" His brow furrowed. "Uh, I meant… Maybe, for a little while, we could run together."

It was funny how certain things, at least from a wolf's point of view, could sound like something so much deeper than the words themselves. Going for a run suddenly sounded like a date, something intimate, something shared on a deeper level. And maybe it was, with the Wolf Moon and all. She'd only ever run with her family, sticking close behind the younger ones to make sure they were safe. But she knew the Hales would probably run alongside them this year, and what could it hurt to run with Derek?

"Sure," she agreed.

He grinned back and her heart did that funny thud thing.

"Bo, Laura, you're on clean up duty," Talia called out, looking between them, an eyebrow raised.

Laura nodded immediately, while Bo sighed, but complied.

"Chloe, will you get the kids ready? We're going to head in soon," Moira said.

Climbing from the picnic table, she started gathering up her younger siblings, along with the socks and shoes they'd discarded during their play. Derek helped, hiking Hope onto his side as he told Dillon to gather up his comic books and got Cora to fold up the blanket in the grass. With promises to visit the following afternoon, after the Hale kids had finished school, they were off back to the hotel.

For the rest of the night, Chloe smiled to herself, looking forward to Saturday and running under a full moon with a handsome Hale.

* * *

So far as Chloe could tell, there wasn't anything special about Beacon Hills. It looked like any other small town; everybody seemed to know everybody, business was mostly run out of quaint, little shops, and, like everywhere else, they were completely blind to what lived among them. She imagined it was more tourist-heavy than usual, the Wolf Moon drawing more packs to the area that any other time of the year. School had started back up, meaning the Hale kids had gone in while the Sullivan pack were free to roam around as they pleased that Friday afternoon.

Gabe had the kids while Moira and Talia went to meet with the other packs. Bo and Laura were invited along with them, while Chloe was left to her exploring. She made her way down to the main road and casually walked through each shop. She enjoyed the bookstore the most though, which would've been no surprise to anyone in her family. Chloe loved reading as much as she loved writing. There was always a book, a page marked and waiting. She moved up and down the musty aisles of the bookstore, letting her fingers linger over cracked spines, tracing gold lettering, lingering on familiar authors.

If there was any smell that could beat the fresh, crisp air of the forest, it was a book shop, at least for her. She loved the smell of aged pages, the dust that floated in the air, the leather of the chairs and the polish used on the shelves. She could waste her whole day there, breathing it in, cracking open covers just to read the first sentence, the first word, and wait for it to snare her. She was a physical person by nature, but books had a way of harnessing her mind, making her wolf go still, lay down, rest. Give her an arm chair and a book and she was set.

Truth be told, she wasn't sure how much time had passed before a familiar scent began to drown out the books. Her head rose from the book, brow furrowed, and she sniffed, following it, moving aisle to aisle, looking for him. She could feel he was close, even hear his steady heartbeat, but she couldn't see him. The store wasn't overly large, but it was big enough that it was easy to get lost in the stacks. She followed his heart and the strengthening scent of him, finally catching sight of the tail end of his jacket just at the end of the fantasy section, but he kept walking. She hurried her steps, but as she passed the same bookshelf, she nearly ran right into him. His grin told her that's exactly what he was aiming for.

Chloe's eyes narrowed. "How'd you find me?"

"Tracked you," he said, shrugging one shoulder.

"You've got my scent already?"

He circled around her, his head cocked. "You don't have mine?"

Her lips pursed, because fine, yes, she had picked up on his scent while they were in the woods yesterday. It was distinct; she could almost taste the elements leaking from him. A bitter twist of fire, like the ash flaking off of dying embers; fresh, clear water, cold enough she breathed in the chill; the musk of earth, a little damp; and a crisp breeze, smelling distantly of rain.

"You smell sweet…" He leaned in close, enough that she felt her heart thud in her chest. He tipped his head down low and breathed in, his nostrils flaring, and his eyes closing slowly as he let her scent settle inside him, like it was attaching itself to his person, never to be forgotten. "Behind the bitter scent of coffee, there's paper and ink and fresh tracks in the mud… I could smell it blocks away… You linger."

She stared up at him from the top of her eyes, watching as his slowly opened, staring down at her, a warm green. The tension she felt then hit her low in the belly, a tight knot that made her fingers twitch with a need she rarely felt or paid much mind to. Standing this close, she could smell the school on him. He didn't wear cologne, wolves rarely did. She wondered if his skin tasted as good as he smelled. She wondered if he was as strong as he looked and how it would feel to have him pressed against her until he drowned out the familiar scent of old books and all she could feel was his chest expanding with each breath, his hands moving on her skin.

Her eyes turned yellow against her will, briefly irritating her since she'd long ago gotten control of that. She shook her head, trying to find her restraint. "Aren't you supposed to be in school?" she asked, grasping at straws.

"I got out early for basketball practice."

"Shouldn't you be there then?"

He shrugged. "I have a few minutes before it starts… It won't take me long to get back to the school."

"So you thought you'd stalk me to a bookstore on the few minutes you have in-between?"

"I thought I'd see if you wanted to come to my practice," he clarified.

Her lips twitched, raising a brow at him before she circled around him and started moving down the aisle, putting her attention on the books. "Really? And you think I'm a fan of basketball because...?"

"Are you?"

"Don't you think that's a good question for  _before_ you ask someone to your practice?"

"I only thought about it a little while ago."

Chloe laughed, turning to face him. "So you've put significant thought into it then," she teased.

He watched her, his head tipped. "Can I try again?"

Stifling a smile, she nodded, crossing her arms loosely over her stomach.

"So I have a basketball practice in a few minutes and, if you like that kind of thing, I was wondering if you wanted to come…? If not, maybe we could just hang out after, get pizza or something?"

She ducked her eyes momentarily before saying, "I like basketball."

"So you'll come?" he asked, grinning crookedly.

Her gaze met his. "If this is so you can show off… You know it's not  _nearly_  as impressive when I can do the same things as you, right?"

"You haven't seen me play yet," he said, a thread of confidence showing itself in his voice.

Narrowing her eyes, Chloe stared at him a moment, amused. "You haven't seen me either."

"Are you challenging me to one-on-one?"

She let her smile form then, full and flirty. "I am."

"Shake on it?" He held a hand out for her.

She glanced down at his hand and then took it, briefly surprised at the zip of electricity that seemed to ricochet over her skin. Her eyes met his, seeing them turn blue as he startled. He blinked them back to green and glanced away. "You still want to watch my practice?"

"You don't think that'll give me an edge?" she joked.

His lips curled at the corners. "I'm willing to take the chance."

She was leaving town on Sunday and she might not ever see Derek again. They lived on opposite sides of the country and they'd only known each other for a day. But the swooping in her stomach made it easy to say yes, to put aside the reality of the situation and just enjoy herself. Sometimes she forgot there was a world outside of her family. She had friends at school, but it was different when you had to keep such a significant part of herself hidden from them. Derek not only knew, but lived the same kind of life. He was easy to relate to, and it didn't hurt that he was easy on the eyes.

He was on time for his practice, barely, and she took up a seat on the stands, not the least bit surprised to see him showing off, not just for her, but in general. It reminded her a little of Bo, but Derek didn't do it in a way that made others look bad, only himself look good. Unlike Bo's coach back home, however, Derek's called him on it and told him to pass the ball and play as a team. As soon as he got his head back into it, he was a better player. Having grown up with a pack, it often made sports easier. It was natural for a wolf to rely on their team, to know their strengths and weaknesses and react to them appropriately. Though a pack and a team were different in terms of just how much they mattered, the same dynamic could be applied to them. It was why Bo was always good at sports, even if he was a show off. While Chloe was impressive in phys ed, she never joined a team, adopting a lone wolf attitude in terms of school. She preferred the newspaper office to the stench of a locker room. While she could play, and well, her interests fell in other places.

It helped too that the newspaper office had some of the better computers, which she could proudly say she wielded rather well. She'd originally honed the skill in an effort to hold on to her dream of being an investigative reporter. With her tracking skills as a wolf, combined with her abilities to wield and bend information on the interwebs, all coalescing with her sharp wit and writing abilities, she was sure that she would be the top in her field. And even now, while she accepted that the pack wouldn't be able to accommodate that dream, she still kept herself sharp. The internet was a wonderful thing and if she could use it to her advantage, then why not?

Turning her attention back to the game, she watched Derek as he moved fluidly over the gym floor, dribbling the ball with ease, confidence. He passed it back and forth between him and his teammates before making the final shot, his mouth already curving in a knowing smile before it had reached the net, swishing through. He glanced back at her and she didn't bother hiding a returning grin.

Chloe wasn't new to the world of boys, she just didn't often have time for them. And dating was almost non-existent, not with her lifestyle, not with her priorities. Maybe it was an excuse to say she would rather date a wolf, but it relieved so much of the stress. There weren't many packs nearby, and those that were came to her mother for advice, meaning they respected her to a degree where they wouldn't let teenage hormones make them look bad.

Truth be told, though, Chloe couldn't remember ever feeling quite this interested in a boy before. She'd had crushes, boys that made her smile involuntarily, but they were passing, easily forgotten. There was something about Derek that felt different. Maybe it was that he was a wolf, maybe it was just chemistry, she wasn't sure, but she liked it.

Practice lasted a little over an hour before the boys went to shower and the coach started packing everything up. Chloe climbed down the stands, her bag over her shoulder, bumping her hip. She checked her watch, wondering if her mother was back from her pack meeting yet. They hadn't set an exact time to meet back at the hotel, but she knew it was best to be home before dark. Talia had suggested taking everyone into the woods for a run; she thought it would be easier, and safer, if everyone was more familiar with the preserve.

While she waited for Derek to finish showering, she took one of the spare balls off the rack, dropped her bag and jacket on the stands, and started dribbling it. It'd been a while since she played, but, like most things physical, her body adapted quickly. Sometimes she wondered what it was like for humans, not to feel the pull and release of every muscle like it was an individual elastic in her body. To be so aware of every part of herself that the world seemed to slow for her to react to it in the way she wanted. She passed the ball back and forth, bouncing it from the ground to her left palm and back. Ground, hand, ground, hand. She started walking, passing it back through her legs, catching it in her palm, twisting her arm back and letting it slide down the length of it, over her shoulders, behind her neck, and down to the other hand. She flicked her wrist, tossing the ball in the air a few inches, making it spin before she caught it on the tip of her finger. It was slow at first, getting the hang of it, but then she repeated the whole process, faster and faster, until the ball was an extension of her, moving fluidly, following the pattern she set.

And finally she let it fall back to the ground before her palm knocked it behind her back. She twisted, caught it, and hopped into the air, shooting the ball, and listening for the expected swish as it landed through the net. She didn't open her eyes until she heard it bounce off the floor.

"Two points for Sullivan."

She turned her head, not surprised to find Derek watching her, smiling crookedly.

"You're not bad," he said, moving to gather up the ball. He tossed it up and over his shoulder, meeting it with the heel of his foot, bouncing it forward. He caught it with his fingers and dribbled circles around her, bouncing it through his legs and passing it around his waist, between his hands, without having to look at it, trusting it would land where he wanted it to. She pivoted slowly, following his movements, his hands, how he turned his feet, his legs. And when she caught the pattern, she moved, her hand cut through air, slipped the ball out of his grasp and bounced it back behind her, under the spread of her legs. They danced around each other, reaching, taking, passing, the ball moving between them, arcing over her hip and landing back in his hand as he sped behind her.

He stepped in close, his front to her back, the ball bouncing in front of her, his arms extended on either side of her, his long fingers bouncing against it like they were playing over the keys of piano. And then they moved together, leaning right, the ball bouncing from his right hand to her right hand, hitting the ground and moving to their left, back and forth. She took a step back and he moved with her, anticipating her. She'd never seen anyone move so fluidly together.

Their right hands bounced the ball, back and forth, but his left fell to her stomach, fingers spread. She felt it like a brand, hot and heavy through the thin cotton of her shirt. She could feel the ball meet her palm, hear the staccato of it bouncing, but it was distant. Her focus was more on him, on his breath skittering over her neck, the heat of his body, the strength of it, his scent filling her senses.

She went to turn, her hips moving before the rest of her. And the ball dropped away, rolling across the floor. He didn't turn with her, he met her, standing tall, and staring down at her with an intensity she'd never seen before. His hand settled on the small of her back, holding her close, though she knew she could break away without trouble. She just didn't want to. Had she thought he was handsome? That word suddenly seemed lacking.

He was so warm, she could feel heat coming off of him and sinking into her skin. And her mind flashed to the forest bed, to what it would be like to lay with him in the grass, the cool air prickling at her skin while he warmed her. His head ducked low, as if he knew what she thought of. As if he could see that clearing, the moonlight casting it a faint blue. The grass tickling at her back, catching in her hair. And his body, his frame, settling over her, swamping her. Her hands on his shoulders, fingers dug in, while he settled comfortably in the cradle of her hips.

He inhaled deeply, a faint growl leaping his lips, and she could almost taste the tension, the arousal, that lingered in the air. He reached for her, his hand falling to her cheek, his fingers stroking through her hair. Her eyes took on a golden glow, washing over his face and falling lower; she could almost see his pulse thudding quickly at his throat. He was still wet from his shower, a drop of water tumbled down his skin, disappearing under his shirt. Her tongue darted over her dry lips, a hint of fang flashing at him, and she felt his nails grow, tear through her shirt, and dig lightly into her back, scraping gently, not enough to break skin, just enough to tease.

He was getting closer, she could almost feel his lips, like a phantom brush of what was to come.

"Should we be worried about a litter of puppies in the near future?" a snarky voice called out. "Don't expect me to babysit."

Derek's head raised quickly, his eyes cutting toward the tall, smirking boy making his way across the gymnasium, looking all too proud of his interruption.

"Let me guess, the infamous Peter," Chloe said, raising an eyebrow.

He grinned at her, making a show of bowing.

"Your entrance could use a little work."

Derek snorted.

Peter's lips pursed, but he didn't let it foil his good mood. "Aren't you going to introduce us?"

"Peter, this is Chloe Sullivan, Moira's daughter."

"Ahh…" He nodded, looking her over approvingly. "You're not quite as…  _brutish_ as your brother, are you?"

She stiffened, eyes narrowing, and turned to face him completely, ignoring Derek's hand on her hip, squeezing. "Brutish is an interesting word to use… Most try a more polite attempt. But you do like to be theatrical, don't you?"

"It's one of my finer qualities."

"I think we have different definitions of what a 'quality' is."

Peter cast his eyes toward Derek. "You need to work on your choice of girlfriends… They never like me."

"Maybe it's your bad timing," he replied, his brows hiking meaningfully.

"What?  _That?_  Can you blame a concerned uncle for making sure the moon isn't kicking up a storm with your teenage hormones?" He tucked his arms behind him as he walked a circle around them.

When Derek had done it to her, showing off his basketball skills, it had been different, but now Chloe felt a shiver or warning, her gut twisting unpleasantly. Something was off about Peter and her wolf knew it. This wasn't a case of irritation because he'd interrupted what would've been a not so innocent moment. This was something else. Like Deucalion had, he tugged at her instincts, and they were screaming at her to be careful.

"What are you even doing here?" Derek wondered.

He shrugged. "The pack counsel went their separate ways… I was bored."

"There are strangers roaming all over your territory and instead of keeping an eye on them, you decided to visit your nephew at school?" Chloe frowned, eyeing him curiously. "Small town life must be riveting for you."

His lips curled up slowly, a mocking smirk that briefly reminded her of Bo, right before he made someone look bad. "Should I take a leaf out of your book and start seeking out whatever attractive wolf gets my tail swishing? What's it been, a  _day?_ You know, wolves have always been quicker to react to their base instincts, but you should probably try to exercise some restraint."

Her eyes flashed then, disliking his snide tone and his implication.

Her chest expanded as she drew in a deep breath.

" _Peter_ ," Derek barked, his eyes narrowed.

With fake innocence, Peter raised his hands in innocence. "Just remember my warning, kiddies…" He turned on his heel then, making his exit, happy to have the last word.

Chloe felt her wolf shifting inside her unhappily, eager to react. But attacking Peter, either physically or verbally, wasn't smart. This wasn't her territory and, for all she knew, they'd just gotten off on the wrong paw. Sure, he shouldn't have called her brother  _brutish_ , but she couldn't exactly argue his point. Yes, Bo had his moments where oaf and brute fit him just fine. But those were things a sister was allowed to think; having a stranger voice them gnawed at her.

"Ignore him… He just likes to stir things up sometimes… He gets bored."

Her attention returned to the boy beside her, looking uncomfortable and uncertain about the situation. It wasn't Derek's fault and she couldn't, and wouldn't, rely on him to fight her battles or stand up for her. They were from different packs and so would always have different alliances. His would be to Peter, whether he agreed with him or not, and hers would be to Bo, even if what was said was true.

"I think you said something about getting pizza earlier," she suggested, offering a half-smile.

He grinned back, nodding.

They walked back to the stands for her to gather up her bag and coat while he hooked his backpack over his shoulders. As they left the gym, their hands brushed against each other, and she felt her fingers twitch, wanting to reach out and tangle with his. But Peter had raised a good point. The moon was coming and it always played with feelings, made them more intense. She and Derek barely knew each other, and they didn't have much time for in-depth conversation. The point was questionable anyway; they'd be going their separate ways soon enough. But a large part of her couldn't care less about that. She was seventeen and for the first time in her life, she was going to let things play out without trying to figure out what the end result would be beforehand.

So when they stepped outside into the sun and started down the sidewalk, she simply smiled as his fingers curled around hers, one after the other, until finally, their palms met, fingers sliding into the slots between each other's. It was a new feeling, not unwelcome, and something was just right about it. She could blame it on the moon or overanalyze it to death later. For now, she was just going to go eat pizza with a cute guy and not worry about the consequences.


	7. We Put the UST in Lust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amazing fic poster made by [dhfreak](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day), so leave some love on her Tumblr!

**[ ](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day) **

**VI**.

Talia had suggested a camp out and the Sullivan family had happily agreed. Given they would all be running most of the following night, this would be their last night to spend time together just relaxing. Blankets were spread out over the ground to sit on while a campfire was set up. Bo was carving sticks for the younger kids while Laura helped them put marshmallows on the end. Sitting together, Moira and Talia were talking over a bottle of wine, and once again Chloe noticed that her father wasn't present. Her mom had said he had business to tend to after the pack meeting and she took it to mean he was with the emissary he spoke of before. While she understood, his absence made the pack feel incomplete.

Her father was one of the closest people in her life, especially with Lois so far away. He was her guide, yes, but he was also who she turned to when she needed to vent; when she didn't want advice, just an ear to listen. Her mother could do the same, but there were some things Chloe just didn't share with her. Like her feelings on pack politics, her concerns about Bo, her desire to be a writer. Sometimes she felt like her mother had expectations of her, and she feared letting her down. Her dad, on the other hand, would accept her in any and every way.

Which was why she felt like talking to him now. Because there was something happening, something that was tugging at the strings of her heart, and she felt herself losing all sense of what was smart. Was that what love was like? Forgetting the rest of the world and focusing on the here and now? It didn't seem logical; in fact, it seemed very flawed. But she liked how she felt when she stood with Derek, when she talked to him, when his fingers tangled with hers. Part of her knew where it was leading, while another part of her told her to be careful, that it was too fast, it was stupid, she should think it through.

Wolves were always physical, reacting with their bodies, taking pleasure and not apologizing for it. She could understand the appeal, she'd just never let herself. Bo, on the other hand, seemed to seek out pleasure at every chance. And maybe that was what kept Chloe from doing the same. She didn't like how he behaved a lot of the time and didn't want to mimic his actions. But there was no harm here, especially if she could keep hold of her control. The problem was, standing so close to Derek, her every breath was tinged with him, and her wolf was pacing, howling inside her.

"You wanna go for a walk?" he asked.

She peered up at him, the logical side of her brain telling her both that a walk was harmless and that he would understand if she said she was happy where she was. The illogical, lust-filled part of her wanted to step into the dark woods and see what happened. It wanted to run and have him chase her. Her Instinct had never lied to her, but it was silent now. It wasn't warning her to go back and it wasn't encouraging her to go forward. She was at an impasse.

"Maybe just to the creek," she decided and took a step forward.

They disappeared into the woods, leaving the comfort of their families behind, all crowded around a fire, smoke and burnt marshmallow filtering up into the air.

For the first while, they were silent, nothing but the sound of their feet on the forest bed, of animals moving around them, and each other's breathing could be heard. When she focused, she could hear his heartbeat too, a little faster than normal, and she imagined her own was the same.

"Peter didn't come tonight," she noticed.

He glanced at her. "I think he met a girl from a different pack," he shared, half-smiling.

"Poor girl," she joked.

He laughed under his breath. "He's really not so bad when you get to know him."

She looked over at him and nodded. "Bo too."

His brow furrowed. "What he did to you, with the snakes…?"

She nodded.

"How'd you forgive him?"

Chloe didn't answer right away, considering his question for a while as they continued to walk, the pale moonlight filtering through the branches above, vaguely showing the way in front of them. If it wasn't for their superior eye sight, it might have been hard to navigate, but they had no trouble. It helped too that Derek knew the woods like the back of his hand, turning her right, his hand on her hip, to direct her down toward the creek.

"I didn't," she admitted, sounding a little surprised herself. "I mean, I don't hate him for it, but I think… it made me cautious."

"Suspicious?"

She looked up at him. "Maybe a little. I… I don't think he did it to hurt me. I honestly think he thought it'd be funny." She shrugged. "He might've even thought it would help me get over my nightmares, if I realized that snakes couldn't hurt me."

"Still, not the best way to help someone get over something."

Shaking her head, she sighed, "No, but Bo's never been all that insightful."

He hummed, reaching for her hand to help her over a tree, despite knowing she was fully capable of leaping up and over it without help. She still let him take her hand, mostly because she liked it, how warm and large it was, folding around her fingers. The creek wasn't as loud as she remembered, but they didn't have six kids making noise either. They retook their seats on the fallen log of before, though this time they were a little closer.

"Some things aren't forgivable," he told her decisively.

"Maybe… It depends on the person. I trusted Bo because he was my brother, because you never do anything to hurt your family… It makes it easier to live with him, to stand beside him, because he's my brother, but that doesn't change the fact that I won't ever completely trust him again."

"People do stupid things… Things that seem right in the moment…" He reached up, brushing a hand through his hair. "Like you said, maybe he thought he was helping you get over your fears."

She peered at him thoughtfully. "What did you do?" she wondered.

He stiffened, his eyes on the ground. "What do you mean?"

"You feel guilty," she explained. "I can hear it."

He glanced at her, his lips pursed. "What I did can't be forgiven."

She reached for him, catching his chin, and turned it toward him. "Does this have anything to do with your eyes?"

His breath left him in a rush and, as if she'd called on it, his dark green eyes swirled into a bright, icy blue, even more vivid than her mother's on a regular day.

"Do you know what it means?" he wondered.

She stared at his eyes, so very different from the gold of hers. It should've worried her, made her second guess what kind of person, what kind of  _wolf_ he was. But it didn't. "A loss of innocence," she murmured.

He let out a snort at her wording. "It means I took an innocent life," he corrected.

"Same thing," she dismissed.

"Is it?" He turned to stare at her, seemingly wanting an honest answer.

"You tell me..." She stroked her thumb up his cheek, to just under his eyes.

"I killed her… It was my fault. I—I let her get bit…"

"Who bit her?"

"An alpha from a visiting pack; they were in town a couple years ago, something was happening… Nobody ever explained what. Not even Peter."

She tipped her head, waiting for him to gather his thoughts.

His eyes stayed blue, but fell, searching as if his memories would be found in the wet leaves that covered the ground. "Her name was Paige, she was human. And I…"

"You loved her," Chloe caught on, her voice gentle.

"I thought I did…" His brow furrowed. "But you don't hurt people you love, do you?"

"Maybe not on purpose."

He swallowed tightly. "I… I wanted to be with her, always, but… How was it going to work? She was human and I… wasn't." He shook his head. "Peter said it would blow up eventually. He wouldn't leave it alone. He said she'd figure it out or I'd change when I didn't mean to. And she'd hate me, she'd be scared, she wouldn't get it, but… If she was just one of us…" His voice was speeding up, like he was trying to convince himself even as he spoke. "So he said he could talk to one of the other alphas. They would want to impress mom, it would be easy… And one night, I asked her to meet me at the school… I hid while it happened, while she was run down and bit. I— I changed my mind when she screamed. I didn't want her to get hurt. It wasn't right, it wasn't fair, but… It was too late."

Chloe stayed silent, and knew as he spoke that this was the first time he was sharing it with anybody outside of his family.

"But she wasn't changing, it wasn't working…"

"She rejected the bite."

"She didn't mean to, it just happened." He shook his head, turning his eyes away. "So I took her away, I… I hid her and I held her as she struggled, but… It was too much, she— She couldn't take the pain anymore." His mouth trembled as his breathing picked up. "I tried to take away as much as I could, but it wasn't working, it didn't last long…"

Chloe reached for him, her hand covering his as it balled into a fist on his knee, his nails forming into sharp, angry claws. She didn't say anything, she just stroked her thumb over his, even as blood slipped out from the cracks of his hands, his nails digging deep into his palm.

"She asked me to make it stop…" his voice trembled. "So I did. I… I broke her neck and she… She just went limp." His eyes flashed a brighter blue as he looked at her. "I killed her."

She gazed at him a long moment. "Sometimes desperate people do desperate things… and they don't turn out the way they want them to."

He shook his head, grounding his teeth together. "If I'd just left her alone… She'd be alive."

"Maybe," she allowed. "And maybe, even knowing what would happen, she'd still have tried to know you."

" _Why?_ "

"If you loved her, what makes you think she didn't love you?"

He swallowed tightly, turning his eyes away. "I screwed up."

"And you regret it." She squeezed his hand.

It took him a moment, but he squeezed back.

They stayed silent for a while, just letting the quiet of the forest sink into them. She'd known the moment his eyes turned blue that something had happened, he'd done something, but the most telling part of his story was that he regretted what happened. That Paige's death was a result of a boy who loved her and didn't understand the consequences of his actions. He was trying to keep her when he had her bit, trying to spare her when he broke her neck, and while she didn't agree with it, she could understand why.

"Does it bother you?" he wondered, looking down at her.

His eyes shone so brightly in the dark.

She shook her head, stroking her fingers beneath them. "Does it bother you?"

His gaze fell. "It was my fault."

"Do you want my opinion, or do you prefer the guilt?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"You should've asked Paige, should've trusted her… But you were young Derek, you still are… For us, the bite is hereditary, we were born into it, and it seems like a gift. But to a human…? You have to let them decide if that's the life they want, and if it isn't, then maybe that's how it's supposed to be…" She sighed, frowning to herself. "When it comes to Paige, I think you made a decision because you were afraid… A decision that was negatively influenced a lot."

"Even if it was, it doesn't change things. I agreed. I let him bite her… I'm the reason she died. Because I was selfish."

She paused for a moment, her brow furrowed. "Is that why you don't think you'd want to be alpha?"

He shrugged. "What's it matter? Laura will be alpha; she deserves it."

"She probably does, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be aware of why you don't want it…"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Do you want to be alpha instead of Bo?"

Her lips pursed. "I want the idealistic world where my mother lives forever and stays on as alpha until I'm old and grey."

He hummed, but stared at her thoughtfully. "Do you think you could do it…? If you had the chance? Would you want to be an alpha?"

She shook her head before shrugging. "I don't know… Personally, I hope I don't have to find out."

Derek stared out into the woods, watching the water rush over the rocks for a while. "Do you think it can work? A human and a wolf…?"

"Are you asking me if I think you and Paige would've lasted if she hadn't died?"

He frowned. "Maybe…" He shook his head. "But it's different now. Maybe I'm different now." He turned to look at her. "I feel different around you… It's not like how it was with Paige."

Her lips twitched. "I don't expect you to fall in love with me in two days, Derek."

He ducked his head, letting out a faint laugh.

"I won't even be here after Sunday."

His smile faded then as he raised his head, looking more serious. "Do you feel it though?"

She stared at his profile a moment, the breeze faintly rustling his hair. "It's probably just the moon…"

He nodded.

"And we're the same age, we can relate to each other. So that probably plays into it…"

Even as she was saying it though, she felt that tether around her heart tighten and tug.

"My brother used to change girlfriends weekly and he still thought it was special and new every time… Not that he's really the standard I hold myself to."

She felt like she was rambling, like she was making excuses for why she felt something drawing her to him.

"What if that's not it? What if, just this once, it  _is_ different?" He turned to her, staring at her searchingly. "I can talk to you… I feel like I  _want_  to." He shook his head. "I've never told anyone about Paige, not even Laura. Peter only knows because he was there…"

She swallowed thickly before admitting, "I've never talked to anyone about Bo…"

He was leaning forward, and she felt the warmth of his breath over her cheek. It was like in the gym, when that tension started to consume them, filling in all the space around them, pressing in until there was only them. She could hear his heart. Or was that hers? Or were they were so in sync there was no way to tell? He reached for her, stroking her hair back and behind her ear, tracing it with his fingers while the side of his hand dragged down her cheek. And her breath left her shakily, her heart felt like it was trembling within her chest.

Derek ducked his head low, pressing his face into the crook of her neck, and her head feel back. She felt his nose drag up her throat as he breathed her in, his lips were right behind it, pausing against the pulse thudding away. He moved higher, his hand burying in her hair, and he panted at the hinge of her jaw, his nose pressed flat against her ear. She turned her face toward him and his mouth slid over her cheek until it reached the corner of her lips. Their eyes met, blue and gold, and she felt his breath skitter over her parted lips. Could he feel hers on his? She pressed forward an inch and never blinked as she stroked her tongue under the bow of his lips. He reacted immediately, his lips covering hers, almost bruising and unrepentant for it. Chloe threw hesitation out the window and focused on the sensation of his lips moving over hers, his teeth grazing, scraping, his tongue stroking, soothing, tasting. The tension was both ebbing and heightening, a fluctuation of enough or needing more.

He leaned against her, chest to chest, his arm braced on the log behind her. His fingers slid down from her hair, stroking the nape of her neck, dragging slowly down her back, light enough that it tickled. She inhaled sharply, tipping her head back as she shivered, a wave of feeling pulsing across her skin. He kissed her chin, lightly nipping her skin, and ducked his mouth lower, kissing across her neck. She could understand why people lost themselves to this. Why wolves were so physical. It felt good,  _really_ good, and she wanted  _more_.

She found his mouth again and bit his lip, tugging on it, grinning when he let out a breathy laugh. It felt right, easy, even familiar in some odd way. She didn't feel nervous or awkward, although those weren't feelings she generally felt anyway. But here, having no real background of making out with boys to lean on, she thought she would. She thought she'd wonder where to put her hands or how to move her lips, but it was instinctual; she knew Derek would tip his head to the right, that he'd lick her lip just before he dragged a fang over it. She knew his hand would slide up her back, fingers walking over her shoulder and moving down her arm, teasing the inside of her elbow, before they reached up, skimmed over her wrist, and finally found her fingers, knotting them together. Was it like this for everyone?

"No." His voice was heavy, deeper than she'd ever heard it.

"I said that out loud?"

He smiled, proud that he'd had an effect on her, as if it wasn't already obvious he had. "It doesn't always feel like that…" He raised an eyebrow looking down at her. "I don't know how, but I know what you'll like… I know what you want…" He rubbed the pad of his thumb against her palm and brought her hand up, turning it over so he could kiss her wrist. He met her eyes as he dragged his teeth over her pulse.

"Senses are stronger closer to the moon…" she murmured, her eyelids weighing heavy over her eyes as she watched him.

"They are," he agreed, his blue eyes peering up at her. "But not like this."

Chloe knew he was right, but she wasn't sure what to do. She felt like everything was on overload and she just needed a minute to collect herself.

"When we were at the book store earlier," he said, eyeing her. "Were you looking for something in particular?"

Tension bled out of her shoulders and she offered a half-smile, appreciating his attempt at levity. "Not really…" She shrugged. "I like the smell."

His nose wrinkled. "It was musty. I could smell mold on some of them."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "It's history. Some of those books are probably centuries old."

"He needed to air that place out."

She shook her head. "I like it, it's comforting… I can get lost there."

He sat back, but kept her hand in his, thumb absently drawing circles on her palm. "What section?"

"Adventure… Maybe a crime or mystery novel."

He raised an eyebrow curiously.

With a shrug, she explained, "I used to dream of being an investigative journalist."

He nodded. "You said you wrote for your school newspaper, right?"

She smiled. "Yeah… It's a passion of mine. My dad encouraged it; he said it was good to have a life outside the pack, to have something to fall back on."

"What's your favorite book?" he wondered.

Her head tipped. "Are you sure you want to talk about this? Because if you get me started, I can talk for hours."

He grinned, ducking his eyes. "I don't mind… I like your voice."

Her heart thudded, expanding and skipping in her chest. Trying to play it off, she said, "You asked for it…" She took a deep breath, in part for show.

It was easy to fall into conversation after that. They jumped from subject to subject, from books to sports to school, and lost track of time completely. For the first time in her life, Chloe felt like she was really relating to someone, like they were getting her on a wavelength that most couldn't. That was the price paid when growing up in a pack made solely of her family. But this was different, being with Derek felt right. Making him laugh made her stomach flip and her own laughter bubble up in reply. He still hadn't let go of her hand and she liked that, she liked how he held on to a piece of her like it fit there, like it had become a part of him.

It wasn't until the moon was directly above them that they decided to head back to the house. She was surprised no one from either side of their families had come looking for them, but appreciated it too much to worry. The air was cool as they moved through the woods, climbing over trees and ducking under branches until they found a well-worn path. Their voices quieted the closer they got to his house, though they both knew that heightened hearing meant that if they wanted to, their families could pick up on what they were saying if they tried.

She just could make out the flickering of the dying campfire when Derek tugged on her hand, bringing her to a stop. The faint snoring ahead told her most of them were asleep, but she could hear the quiet voices of her mother and Talia, so she knew not everyone had gone to sleep. She looked up at Derek, standing close enough that she could feel his body heat soaking into her skin. He glanced briefly toward their families before looking back at her and dipping his head low, pausing just short of her mouth. She lifted up onto her tiptoes and met his lips. It wasn't as frenzied or passionate as before; it didn't make her brain blink out; it was just sweet and warm. She could imagine spending whole mornings doing just that, lingering at his lips, tasting every shaky exhale that left him.

When they leaned back, she smiled at him, turning on her heel and making her way toward the others. She got four steps before he caught up to her, grinning to himself, his head ducked, hair falling into his eyes. Only this time, she didn't think he was trying to hide the bright blue of them. At least she hoped not. Even knowing why they changed, she thought they were rather beautiful. She was sorry that Paige had died and that Derek struggled with the part he played in it. But she wasn't there to judge; it wasn't her place. She wondered what her dad's advice would have been if it had happened to her instead. She hoped she never had to find out.

When they stepped through the tree line to the yard, they found the kids scattered over various blankets. Cora and Samantha were lying together, Hope snugly curled up between them. Noah and Dillon each had their own blankets and had cocooned themselves inside, just a few feet apart, a pair of flashlights and a stack of comic books abandoned nearby. She wasn't surprised to find most of the snoring was coming from Bo, who wasn't using a blanket at all, sprawled out spread eagle on the grass.

"Hey," Moira said, patting a spot beside her where she sat beside the fire.

Chloe walked over, kneeling in the spot next to her, leaning her head against her mother's side.

Across from them, Talia sat with a faint smile, her face flicking with shadows as the fire died down. Derek sat beside her, taking up one of the abandoned sticks and pulling out a marshmallow to roast.

"How was the creek?" Talia asked, looking between them.

Derek froze momentarily, surprised she knew, but shook it off quickly enough. "Fine. Quiet."

Moira stroked her fingers through Chloe's hair, staring at her temple, the pattern soothing. "It must be nice for both of you, to have someone closer to your age, to relate to…"

Chloe nodded silently, her eyes focused on the marshmallow slowly browning in the fire.

"Maybe we should do this more often… I have to admit, it's been too long since we've seen each other," Talia suggested.

"We could come back up this summer, and stay longer than a few days."

"The kids would like that. I don't think Cora's ever bonded with anyone as quickly as she did Samantha."

Chloe didn't hear the rest of what they were saying, instead she raised her eyes to meet Derek's. And she found herself wondering what it would be like. If by the summer this feeling would have faded. If, without the moon, they'd still be drawn to each other. And even if they weren't, it'd still be nice to have that connection with someone, to know somebody outside of the family.

She smiled.

And he smiled back.

"Derek, your marshmallow's on fire," Talia said.

Chloe chuckled as he pulled it out, blowing out the fire that clung to the charred end of his stick.

"You were doing it wrong anyway," she told him, shuffling away from her mother on her knees. "You need to rotate."

Amused, he raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Mm-hmm." She plucked up one of the other sticks from the ground beside him and held a hand out, wiggling her fingers expectantly until he placed a marshmallow in it. She stuck it on the end of the stick and lowered it into the fire, glancing at him with a grin. "You want it brown, not black. Otherwise it'll taste like ash."

Derek copied her, ducking his own fresh marshmallow in the fire, inches from hers.

"You've gotta be patient," she said, pulling hers up from the fire for a moment before she ducked it back in. "If you just drop it into the heart of the fire, it burns too fast, and you lose the best parts."

"Patient, huh?" He lifted his up a little, letting the flames just lick at the edges of the marshmallow.

She looked at him from the corner of her eyes. "It's worth it."

He bit his lip to hide a smile. "I know."

The two sat, staring into the fire, unaware of the silent conversation going on between their mothers. In fact, they'd completely forgotten they were even there. At least until Talia stood from her seat, paused to kiss the top of Derek's head, and told him, "Don't stay up too late."

He looked up to her, standing highlighted by the moon, and nodded.

Talia laid on a blanket near her eldest daughter, while Moira rose to lay on the opposite end of the yard. Chloe could see what they were doing though. Between Talia and Laura, Bo, and Moira, the pack was surrounded, sentinels standing watch even in their sleep, laying on the outside, prepared for an attack on any side.

Her attention was brought back to Derek as he pulled his marshmallow from the fire, smiling at its perfectly browned skin, still warm and bubbling. He bit it right off the end of his stick, not caring that the inside would likely burn his tongue. He grinned at her, his teeth wearing sticky, stretching marshmallow proudly.

She rolled her eyes lightheartedly and took her stick from the fire, squeezing the bottom of her marshmallow and sliding it off the end. It stung a little, leaking through the hole the stick has left behind and burning the pad of her thumb, but she healed so fast it barely mattered. She bit the top off and felt it ooze over her fingers before she pushed the rest into her mouth, licking at her sticky lips, using her teeth to try and clean them off. Derek caught her hand and brought it up to his mouth, licking some of the leftover marshmallow from her fingers. She laughed, her head falling back, and turned her hand, trying to wipe the white strings that stuck to his lips. He nipped at her fingers and she stared up at him, her eyes turning a dark gold, her laughter fading.

Maybe they would come back that summer and maybe they wouldn't. All she really knew was that she had Derek right then and she didn't feel like wasting what time she had. But they were surrounded by family, so leaning up for a kiss, or more, wasn't really in the cards. Still, she brought her hand back and cleaned the same fingers he bit and licked with her own mouth, watching his eyes flash a feral blue.

"We should get some sleep," he said, dragging his eyes from her mouth and toward the fire.

Nodding, she pushed up to her feet and helped him douse the fire. They used a bottle of water to clean off their hands from the leftover stickiness before moving through the grass to lay down on the last two blankets, setting themselves up in a position to keep the younger kids safe if anything happened. But as she laid down, facing the starry sky, she stared at the moon, and couldn't get her brain to slow down, to stop turning over what it felt like to feel his lips against hers, his hands on her skin.

She bit her lip to keep her smile at bay and closed her eyes. She wasn't surprised when she dreamt of running beside a blue-eyed wolf under a full moon.


	8. Heart Strings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] Amazing fic poster made by [dhfreak](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day), so leave some love on her Tumblr!
> 
> [2] **Polyvore** : [Chloe's outfit](http://www.polyvore.com/blue_gold_chloe/set?id=106883247&lid=3167372)

****[ ](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day)   


**VII**.

Chloe's father woke her up with coffee, the scent carrying on the wind, and rousing her just as he knelt beside her in the grass. He hadn't stayed the night with them, choosing the comfort of a hotel room, and she could understand. The rest of the two packs were still sleeping, except for Talia and Moira who woke at the smallest sound. Seeing it was him, however, they merely glanced over before resting their heads once more. Chloe blinked tired eyes up at the sky, judging it to be very early morning. Her dad winked at her and nodded his head toward the waiting car.

She pushed up from the blanket she'd wrapped herself in and followed him over, taking the proffered cup of coffee he held out to her and smiling happily as she breathed in the rich smell. She climbed into the front passenger seat and slumped down a little, just sipping at her coffee as they followed the road to the rest of civilization. Her dad fiddled with the radio a bit, knowing she needed a little more time to wake up.

This was a ritual of theirs; early morning coffee and conversation. She'd once thought it was because he felt bad that Bo seemed to get so much more attention, needing to learn the ropes from their mother. But she realized later that her dad simply related to her on a different level. While she was just as much a wolf as anyone else in her family, she could enjoy his more human side in a way Bo had no patience for. She enjoyed her dad's lessons, most of which were steeped in philosophy, and tried to apply as many as she could to her day-to-day life.

Gabe pulled in at a small park and turned off the car. They found a bench under the shade of a tree and she sat, crossing her legs underneath her and resting the half-empty cup of coffee in her lap, warming her hands. She could smell the morning dew on the air, still clinging to the grass and the leaves of the tree above them. It was cool and refreshing and lulled her mind.

"You're adapting to Beacon Hills well."

She looked over at him, watching his face for a moment. "We've only been here two days, there's not much to adapt to."

His mouth curled up on one side. "All right, you're getting along with the Hale's better than I thought you would."

She laughed under her breath. "Is that your way of saying you thought I'd be too curious for my own good and offend people?"

He shrugged. "It wouldn't be the first time, but no…" He shook his head, casting his gaze out over the expanse of green field in front of them.

Chloe always thought it was kind of funny that people brought their dogs here, to a flat space of ground, where all the trees had been dug up or moved to the outer edges. It was always so much more fun to navigate her way through the woods, ducking and jumping and meeting each obstacle it threw at her. But humans didn't like clutter, they liked sleek, clean lines and polished parks. Nothing out of place, everything labeled and put away. Where was the fun in that? She, of all people, knew the importance of order, but not in the outdoors, not away from the ties and restrictions of obligation.

"You mean Derek."

"You like him," he said, not in an accusing way, just a simple statement.

She nodded. "I do."

He stayed quiet for a moment and she smiled, because this was how her dad worked. He started the conversation he wanted to have and then he let her take over, let her say what was on her mind, and waited until she needed his input or guidance.

"It's probably just the moon," she told him, rolling her eyes. "You know how it messes with how we're feeling."

He nodded. "But you've been in control of that for a long time."

"Well, I haven't spent much time around a boy who wasn't my family either, so…" She frowned, turning her eyes down to the top of her coffee cup. She traced the lid, all the dips and lines. "I feel different when I'm with him. Not—Not  _bad_ different, just…" She let out a heavy breath. "I can talk to him and I  _want_ to… But it's not just because he gets it, it's something else. It's like there's this… this  _tension_ and I just— I've never felt like that before."

He hummed, but didn't comment, and she realized suddenly how weird it probably was for him, listening to his daughter talk about a boy she liked. But he was as close to a best friend as she had at the moment, at least until Lois could visit, and her dad never judged her.

"I kissed him," she admitted, biting her lip. "And he held my hand and… I can still kind of feel it." She held her hand up, peering at her fingers curiously as she wiggled them. "It's like his fingers are still between mine."

She let that thought linger there for a minute before her doubts crept it.

"But we're leaving tomorrow and we don't even really know each other. I mean… We talked, a lot. For hours. But it's only been a couple days and we're leaving tomorrow. And yes, mom said we might come back this summer, try to visit more often, but I don't want to be one of those people who has a long-distant  _something_ and just kind of hopes that it's enough. Because it never is, I've seen movies to know that much, and eventually he'll find someone who is right here, right in front of him, and I'll be way over there… wondering if he can still feel my fingers between his." She drowned the rest of her worries by guzzling her cooling coffee.

"Sounds like you've thought about this," her dad mused.

"Maybe a little," she said, her voice flat and resigned.

"You know, Chloe, it's okay to want things… It's okay to indulge yourself and have them, even knowing they might not last. Because not everything does. Maybe it ends in heartbreak or maybe it merges two packs. Maybe you find somebody else's fingers to hold onto and maybe he does. Maybe he's just the first boy to make your heart skip, or maybe he's the only one. But you won't know if you never take a chance."

She turned to look at him, smiling. "That sounds like dad-talk, not emissary advice."

"The emissary in me would tell you that the moon might lower your inhibitions, but it doesn't create feelings. So if you spent hours talking and connecting, that's real; that has nothing to do with the moon…" He frowned to himself a little and added, "I would also tell you that Wolf Moon's used to be to bring together packs in hopes of making a match. They let the younger generation connect and hoped it created alliances. In fact, back at its roots, matches were made based on whether a wolf felt a pull toward another wolf. It wasn't fool proof, but it made its mark in history."

"A pull?" she repeated.

"They said wolves used to feel a tug, a draw to their mate. Sometimes it was just physical, other times it was more emotional or mental… A lot of alphas chose who to have children with based on whether or not they felt the pull. They thought it meant that their mate was compatible on every level and would help build a stronger pack. But that effect has died out for some time. Some emissaries think that it wasn't soul mates at all, just a biological necessity, where a wolf realized that person was their fit for breeding purposes rather than love."

"Hmm…" Chloe frowned thoughtfully as the information sank in. "Mom said she didn't believe in mates, not the way they used to be."

"That's because werewolf mates are supposed to be other wolves," he explained. "It was strange… It's just been legends for some time now, but she thought she felt a tug once with another wolf… She didn't answer it."

"Because she loved you?"

He half-smiled, nodding. "Your mother thinks it's a choice. That even if she did feel a tug, then maybe what it meant was that the wolf  _could_  be compatible, but he wasn't the  _only_  one… Maybe they fit in that moment, but not later, not when they grew up."

"What if she was wrong?"

"She'd never know." He turned to look at her. "She never answered, so she'll never know if she might've been happier with him. All she knows is what she is now."

Chloe nodded, chewing her lip. "I don't know what Derek and I are. I don't what we'll be if I come back this summer. But I know I like him. I like being around him."

"Then enjoy it."

Smiling, she leaned over and rested her head against his shoulder. "Careful, you're moving in on 'cool dad' territory."

He wrapped an arm around her and squeezed. "Hey, you say that like I wasn't  _always_ a cool dad?"

She snorted.

Content, she simply watched as the sun rose and the rest of the world slowly woke up, leaving their houses to climb into cars and go about their day. It was only when he realized they still needed to get the younger kids up and prepared for the morning feast at the meeting point that they left the bench and returned to the truck.

While he'd given her a lot to think about, some parts stuck out more than others. She was seventeen and she definitely wasn't thinking about mates or marriage or merging packs. But she liked kissing Derek and holding his hand and talking to him. So she would do what came naturally and she'd stop worrying about what it meant. Because her dad was right, maybe Derek was a pit stop in her life and maybe he wasn't, but she wouldn't find out by avoiding things just because she didn't quite understand them.

…

Derek woke to find his mother cleaning up the yard, packing away leftover plates and cups, tossing the used marshmallow sticks into the relit fire, and folding her blanket up in a square, laying it on one of the picnic tables. Rubbing the heels of his hands into his eyes to help him wake up, he pushed up to his feet and moved to help her, taking his own blanket with him and gathering up Chloe's when he realized she wasn't there. He was frowning as he folded hers up, pausing as her scent lifted off the fabric and lingered in his nose. He caught his mom's eye when he shook it off and dropped his blanket on top of hers.

She peered at him a moment, a faint smile pulling at her lips. "Do you want to talk about it?"

His jaw ticked as he avoided her eyes for a moment. He looked back at the collection of people still asleep on the grass and then back at her. Taking his hint, she took the bag of garbage with her and started toward the house. Derek brought the blankets and followed her up the stairs and inside.

They were quiet for a moment as he dropped the blankets off in the laundry room and then moved to join her in the kitchen, where she was putting away the leftover marshmallows in the cupboard, humming under her breath. He leaned in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest, taking on a defensive pose unconsciously.

"What was it like when you met dad?" he wondered.

Talia stilled, her head bowed, but when she started moving again, her expression was masked. "Why do you ask?"

"You never talk about him." He shrugged, dropping his gaze to the floor. "I just wondered…"

She blew out a long breath and turned to face him, her eyes narrowed as she searched his face. "He was a good man. Strong, smart, loyal… And he loved his family, he protected his pack."

"What about when you met him…? What did it feel like?"

Talia walked toward him, frowning now. "Why? What do you feel when you're with Chloe?"

He looked away. "I don't know."

She smiled faintly and reached a hand out, resting it on his forearm. "I think you do."

He shook his head, licking his lips. "It's like a tug, a… a pull, from my chest. And then she looks at me and… I don't know. I— It doesn't make sense, but it's like…"

"Like you've always known her," Talia whispered.

He looked at her, his brow furrowed. "Yeah."

She nodded, slow at first before she pasted on a smile. "Derek, I… I know you, and I know how quickly you fall in love."

He frowned, his shoulders slumping.

"I want you to be careful, that's all." She squeezed his arm and ducked her head down, trying to catch his eyes. "You have to understand… Who she is, what she comes from…"

"I know Moira's your friend, I wouldn't do anything to embarrass you."

She sighed, shaking her head. "I'm not worried about that. I know you, I  _trust_ you, I just…" She pressed her hand to his heart. "I worry about you."

He looked at her then, and he thought of Paige, he thought of his mother finding him, his eyes blue, the proof of what he'd done staring her in the face. He'd expected anger, blame, he'd expected her to hate him, but she hadn't. And he didn't understand then, but he thought he might now. She'd decided he had suffered enough, he would hold onto the regret of what he'd done the rest of his life, and nothing she did or said could change that or make it better. That was enough. She didn't need to add to that.

"I'll be okay," he promised her. He shrugged. "Chloe leaves tomorrow. I might never see her again. But… It feels right, when I'm with her… For the first time since Paige, I just— I feel okay."

Her face softened then, looking sad but understanding, and she pulled him to her, hugging him, cradling him close even though he was much taller than her. She ran her hand down the back of his hair and kissed his temple. Sighing, he leaned into her, resting his chin on her shoulder. Yeah, he was seventeen, but that didn't mean he didn't need his mother sometimes. And even if he wanted to explore whatever this was between him and Chloe, there was still a part of him that was worried. The scars he had from Paige hadn't fully healed, he wasn't sure they ever would, and they still stung. He couldn't help but wonder if he would screw this up too, whatever this was. He liked Chloe. The way she smiled and the sound of her laugh and how her hand seemed to fit in his.

"Momma, 'm hungry," a sleepy voice muttered nearby.

Talia and Derek broke apart, turning their attention to Hope, who dragged her feet as she walked over, leaning so she was pressed against Talia's leg, her face buried against her stomach.

She smiled down at her youngest daughter and ran her fingers through her tangled hair gently. "We'll eat soon. Why don't you go wake everyone up? We've got a long day ahead of us."

Hope hummed, nodding her head slightly, but it was clear she'd happily crawl back into her blanket and go back to sleep.

Derek smiled to himself and reached down, picking up his little sister and settling her in one arm. "C'mon, we'll wake them up together," he told her, already starting for the door.

She rested her head against his shoulder. "Dillon first?" she suggested, grinning.

He laughed under his breath. "Sure."

"Can I jump on him?"

"Sure. But you're on your own if you do."

She grinned. "I can take him."

Five minutes later, Hope and Dillon were wrestling in the grass and, he had to admit, she was holding her own.

…

Chloe's favorite part about the Wolf Moon was seeing everybody come together. While she'd never had one in California, it didn't seem any different from the ones she'd been to back home. Talia brought them out to a gathering in the woods, where the packs had convened. There was food cooking and music being played, blankets were spread out for people to sit on while others enjoyed the grass. Everyone was mingling, caring not for packs or politics, instead talking to whoever they connected with. It was times like these that families that couldn't see each other year round were able to catch up.

Unfortunately, even if her Uncle Sam hadn't separated himself from his heritage, neither Lois nor Lucy usually joined in on Wolf Moons. Occasionally, Lois could be convinced to come, but now that she'd moved to Kansas and seemed to have her hands full, Chloe didn't expect her to be joining in anytime soon.

The Hale children seemed to recognize a few people and the younger ones dragged the Sullivans over to introduce them. Chloe hung back, curious but wary, and looked to her mother for direction.

"Enjoy yourself," Moira encouraged, smiling lightly.

"Come on," Laura offered, bumping Chloe's shoulder as she started walking into the thick of things. "I'll show you around."

Chloe followed after her, her nose wrinkling as a barrage of different scents hit her, from the spicy food to the earthy woods and down to each individual wolf with its specific marker. Especially with the moon that night, she felt like she could smell everything, and it was almost too much. Her eyes watered and her senses prickled, a feeling of unease coming over her. It wasn't safe to wander off, to put herself in the center of a mass of strange wolves. But then she breathed in through her mouth and she focused on her center, she found her anchor. It helped her not only when she was feeling ready to shift but just to calm her down and let her human brain take back over. It could be easy to fall prey to those instincts, to snap and claw and react rather than think. But she'd had practice, she'd grown up learning control, and while it still sometimes caught her off guard, she was aware of it and she knew how to reign herself in.

Laura led her past a particularly sour smelling wolf, a guitar in his lap, to a table covered in various homemade dishes. There were still steaming pies lined up with little tags that said which pack had brought them. They smelled delicious; she could almost taste the cherry juice on her tongue as she stared down at one, a slice already missing. With her fingers knotting around Chloe's, Laura pulled her along, showing her another table dressed in handmade jewelry, from feather earrings to beaded necklaces. Like the pies, they had tags to show who had made them and from where in California they originated.

"Each one is significant to the packs that made them," Laura explained, her finger sliding down a crystal necklace. "When you wear something from that pack… it shows respect to them."

"We didn't bring anything," Chloe said, frowning. "Back home, we don't mark anything. The food, the clothing, the songs, they're all just shared."

Laura smiled up at her. "Don't worry, it's not like you'll get thrown out." She shrugged. "You offer what you can and if you don't have anything, it's fine. You show your respect in any way you can."

The Wolf Moon was meant to be a collection of packs coming together to give thanks, to show appreciation for each other, and to help create peace between each other. For as long as Chloe could remember, her mother had housed the Wolf Moon in the woods outside her house. She could remember the drums playing and the feeling of dirt under her bare feet as she danced. It was tradition, so much so that she imagined it was the same everywhere. She liked this though, finding out how they celebrated in different states.

Leaving the table, Laura tugged Chloe along to introduce her to a few other people, mostly cousins or distant relatives, all connected back to the original Hale pack. She could see it in the familiar coloring, in the dignified way they stood, and wondered if all Hales were as proud as the ones she'd met. It wasn't arrogance, but acknowledgement of ancestry, and she found herself wishing, not for the first time, that the Lane's had been more active in showing their heritage. Her grandparents had long passed away and, of the Lane pack, there were only distant relatives now. Her mother had taken on Gabe's surname when they married and the children had followed. While it wasn't uncommon for the children to take the alpha's name instead, Chloe was proud to bear her father's name and, more, his knowledge.

She smiled as she watched Sam and Cora dance to the music playing, pulling the hands of other kids their age and making them dance too. A small area had been left just for them, letting them sway and twirl and, in some cases, flip and cartwheel, to their heart's content. The adults tended to move together, creating a group on one end of the clearing. By their serious expressions, Chloe imagined they were talking about the pack disappearances. A part of her nagged that she should find a way to listen, to get more information out of them, but she knew her curiosity wouldn't be sated. It was one thing to spy on humans, it was a whole other to try and listen in on wolves with extra-sensitive senses.

"Did Derek tell you?"

Chloe looked sharply to her right, finding Laura watching her blatantly. "Guessing games are only fun when two people are playing." She raised an eyebrow. "What are we talking about?"

"Packs are breaking down, just being wiped right out," she said, not bothering to sugar coat it.

Chloe didn't so much as flinch in surprise. "He mentioned something like that."

Laura snorted. "And I'm sure he heard it from Peter, who has yet to learn it's not polite to eavesdrop."

"Can you blame him?" She frowned. "How many packs have been hit?"

Laura tucked her hands in the pockets of her jeans and took on a defensive posture, but it wasn't directed at Chloe, and she found that a telling sign. "Too many."

"You have suspicions?"

"That it's not hunters…?" She shot her a look from the corner of her eyes. "It's crossed my mind."

Chloe nodded slowly. "So why tell me?"

She let out a heavy sigh. "Bo is a good guy. He's charming and he's… ambitious." She looked away. "But he's all play and little action."

"And here I thought you were seeing Bo at his most active…" she mused, lips twitching with humor.

Laura rolled her eyes. "He's offered enough, but he's really not my type. And I have more important things to focus on."

With a hum, she said, "Derek said you'd be a good alpha."

She turned to her, head tipped. "What do you think?"

Chloe stared at her a long, measuring moment. "From what I've seen, yes. But I haven't been here long enough to make a lasting judgement call."

She smirked and gave a quick nod. "You're honest."

"What's the point in lying?" She cast her eyes around. "Besides, if I expect honesty from you, I should return the favor."

"It's appreciated." Laura turned then, facing her completely. "I'm telling you because I might like Bo, but I don't think he takes the threat seriously enough."

"My mother—"

"Knows, and she's dealing with it as she sees fit. But things are moving quickly and I don't know what we're going to do to stop it… I know it's only starting to reach outside of California, so if we can get the word out, we might be able to warn other packs before things really blow up." She stared at her searchingly. "From one wolf to another, watch your back."

Chloe took her words seriously and nodded. "I will."

Laura looked away when she heard her mother call for her and nodded as Talia waved at her to join them with the other alphas. She took a step away from her before she stopped. "And Chloe?"

Chloe met her eyes.

"Be good to my brother," she said, an order if Chloe had ever heard one.

She smiled back, not feeling particularly threatened since she had no intention of hurting Derek.

Seeming to recognize that, Laura accepted it and walked away, making her way through the crowd, her head held high and her gait shouting confidence.

"You're getting pretty cozy with the Hales…"

Rolling her eyes, Chloe turned on her heel to find Bo standing a few feet away. "You're one to talk," she snorted. "You wasted, what? Ten minutes before you started showing off for Laura?"

He smirked. "Why waste time?"

"Sometimes I think you're less wolf and more pig."

He laughed, throwing an arm around her shoulders. "Lighten up, Chloe. Not all of us go looking for a mate, some of us are just trying to have fun."

She frowned, looking up at him, her brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"You think I didn't notice? You're the ultimate lone wolf, but since we got here, you've been attached to Derek Hale's hip…" He wiggled his eyebrows. "Or is it his mouth you prefer?"

Shoving her elbow into his side, she pushed him back from her. "It's none of your business."

He shrugged, staring down at her. "Hey, I'm not here to judge. I've done my fair share of hooking up on a full moon. I just think you should be a little more careful… Mom's pretty close to Talia, you don't want to break his heart."

"Who says I will?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You're my sister, so I love you, but you're not exactly the warmest wolf, are you?"

She frowned. "And that's supposed to mean?"

He shrugged. "Nothing bad… You just took after dad is all."

When she still looked at him, not understanding the implication, he sighed. "Wolves run hot; we're physical. If we're not running, we're fucking…"

Her nose screwed up. "Thanks for the visual."

"My point is… You don't get attached. You keep your distance from everyone." He crossed his arms over his chest loosely. "So when this kid falls for you, and he will, it's going to blow up in his face."

"Because I don't sleep with every slightly attractive person I meet…?" she asked, staring up at him in disdain.

"Because you run cold…" He reached out and flicked her hair just to irritate her. "Face it, Chlo. You're more human than wolf."

"I don't know if you've noticed, but most of the  _billions_ of people on this planet are human, and they didn't get here by ignoring their baser needs."

He grinned. "All I'm saying is, let him down easy… Last thing you want is a clingy wolf when you were just reacting to a full moon."

"And you would know," she muttered, before turning on her heel to walk away.

"Just think about it," he called after her.

"If there weren't kids around, I'd finger you," she replied in a sing-song voice.

"I'll imagine it in my head, just for you," he laughed.

Leaving her irritating brother behind her, Chloe made her way back over to the tables. She managed to snag one of the last pieces of cherry pie and walked around the edges of the clearing, carving out small bites so she could savor the explosion of flavors on her tongue. She'd kicked her shoes off by the blanket Moira had laid out for them and let her toes wiggle in the grass. The loose-fitting dress she was wearing was long enough that it brushed over her feet and softly moved against her skin as she walked. She would have to change into her jeans before they went running, but she liked dressing up from time to time.

On the outside looking in, she was better able to observe everyone. The age range was large, from babies clinging to their mothers to elders half asleep in chairs. Even as old as they were, there was still strength and power radiating off of them. They were still as physically fit as any other wolf, but their age showed in the silver of their hair and the wrinkles starting to show on their skin. Chloe found herself wondering if maybe all her concerns about Bo were for not; her mother was still young, she was still strong. It could take decades before she decided it was time for her to step down as alpha and, hopefully, by then, Bo would have grown up.

"I've never seen you around here before."

Chloe turned her head away from the crowd to find a boy a few feet from her. Or, maybe 'boy' wasn't the right word, as he was probably a little older than her. He was tall with sandy brown hair and bright blue eyes, handsome too, but most wolves were attractive, some almost unnaturally so.

"First time in Beacon Hills," she replied with a faint shrug.

"So this is your first Wolf Moon?"

" _Here_ ," she qualified. "I've been celebrating my whole life, we've just never come to California for it."

He nodded. "Well if you need a guide or anything…"

The way he was eyeing her made her think 'anything' had very little with discussing the differences of Wolf Moons in their culture. Chloe stifled a snort and decided to forgive him his blatant attempt at seduction. The moon affected even the most seasoned of wolves; they were just usually better at hiding it.

"I'll keep it in mind," she said, before moving to side-step him.

"I never got your name."

"I never offered it." She kept walking, searching out her brothers and sister naturally, disliking it when they were out of sight.

"Well I'm Troy," he persisted, following at her heels.

She was briefly reminded of an eager puppy, but shook the thought from her head. It wasn't the first time someone tried to make a pass at her at a Wolf Moon. He wasn't even close to the most aggressive offender. Eventually, like the others, he would catch on and look elsewhere. She frowned to herself, suddenly thinking of Bo's words. Was this what he meant about her being cold? Just because she didn't accept any and every offer for physical relief? She rolled her eyes, digging her fork into her pie for another bite. So what if she wasn't like Bo? He slept with everyone that moved, and whatever, all the power to him, but he didn't need to thrust his lifestyle onto her.

"You showed up with the Hales, right?" Troy asked.

She glanced back at him. "They're family friends," she answered, in a tone that said she wouldn't be pushed for information on the local pack.

He held his hands up in surrender. "Just trying to make conversation."

"Look, Troy, you seem nice, but… I'm not interested."

He smiled. "How do you know? You haven't given me a chance." He tipped his head down, letting some of his hair fall in his eyes. "I'm a great running partner. Maybe we could meet up, run together tonight?"

"She's already got a partner," a voice piped up.

Chloe was surprised by a new voice intervening, and that it was Derek's, since she'd never heard it that deep before. He moved up beside her, staring at Troy darkly, his lips set in a firm line. When his hand fell to her lower back, she could have sighed. It was a possessive action and clearly meant to mark his territory. Chloe looked down at his arm and then raised an eyebrow at him, but he wasn't looking at her, he was having a staring contest with Troy.

"Maybe she wants to trade up," Troy suggested, crossing his arms over his chest, purposely flexing his biceps.

Derek ducked his head a little as he chuckled, his mouth curled in a smirk. "Maybe you should walk away while you still have a tail to tuck between your legs."

A low, warning snarl answered him and Chloe felt as Derek's nail lengthened, his claws pressing against her back. But he kept his cool, unwilling to let Troy see him shift. For Derek, it was a matter of letting Troy know he wasn't even a blip on the radar, let alone a threat. But Chloe didn't like where this could be headed and, honestly, she didn't like that these two meatheads thought she wanted to be fought over, as if she'd walk away with the victor like some prize in the end.

"A warning before either of you start pissing on me would be appreciated," she snarked.

Their eyes darted toward her, both looking a little surprised.

"Put away the measuring stick," she ordered them both, casting a glare between them. "I already have plans for tonight. Thanks for offering, Troy, but like I said, I'm not interested… Now, if you'll excuse me, I feel like more pie is in order." With that, she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving them and their male pride in the dust.

She stopped by where Brody was sitting and grinned as she found him playing with a squirrel. How he made friends with every animal he ever came across she had no idea, but it was endlessly heartwarming in her opinion. She bent beside him and laughed when he broke of a chunk of her pie crust to feed to his friend. Kissing his forehead, she offered him the rest of her cherry pie and left him to play before making her way back to the pie table. She was mulling over a slice of blueberry when her mother waved her over.

Moira had seated herself on a blanket, close to the music and the dancing children. Chloe took a seat beside her, smiling as Samantha and Cora did a dance that looked to be at least somewhat practiced. They sat in silence for a while and Chloe tugged her knees up to her chest, crossing her ankles, and hugging her arms around her knees. She enjoyed the beat for a while, closing her eyes as she let the guitar lull her away. She could hear each individual string as it was plucked, could almost feel the vibrations of them.

"It's not the same as home, is it?"

Chloe opened her eyes and looked to her mother, shrugging slightly. "It's close enough. It feels just as special… Like there's something in the air." She tipped her head back and let the sun warm her face. She felt fingers moving through her hair, stroking soothingly.

"It's getting long…"

She felt Moira's fingers reach all the way down to the small of her back and nodded.

"Do you want me to braid it?"

She smiled then; her mother had been braiding her hair for as long as she could remember. As a child it was to keep it out of the way when she played, so she wouldn't come home with it snagged around loose leaves and branches. As she grew up, it became more of a tradition than anything. Sometimes she thought Moira did it because it made her feel close to her daughter, who wasn't nearly as physically affectionate as the younger kids were. As she turned her head and waited for her mother to start, she mulled those thoughts over, reminded of what Bo had said.

Moira finger-combed her hair back before she started. She was gentle as she made the parts, her fingers so light that Chloe barely felt them. She was half-way done her hair when Chloe finally voiced her troubled thinking. "Do you think I'm cold?"

"Cold?" she repeated, as if the word befuddled her.

She frowned. "It was just something Bo mentioned earlier. That maybe I take after dad more…"

Moira paused briefly, her fingers still wrapped in Chloe's hair. "In what way?"

"Wolves are physical, we… we show affection through touch. We're not exactly known for being…  _chaste_." She rolled her eyes. "I don't know, I just— The way he said it, like I was different somehow…"

"You are different." Moira returned to braiding. "But that isn't a bad thing."

"No?"

"Of course not. We're all different. It's why we fight so much."

Chloe snorted, tipping her chin down as her mother braided down her back. "I never really thought about it, you know? I mean, it's not like I've never been attracted to anyone. I've just never wanted to  _act_ on it before."

There was a pause before Moira murmured, "Before Derek you mean?"

Chloe went still, her eyes focused on the pattern of the blanket. "Were you like Bo when you were my age, or me?"

Her mother's warm laughter replied, not mocking but purely amused by her candor. "I had my fair share of partners before I met your dad," she replied.

"By fair share…?"

"Sexuality is nothing to be ashamed of Chloe. You can have a hundred partners or just one, it doesn't make you any more or less of a person… The important part is that it's what you want, that whoever you sleep with is someone you  _choose_ to be with." She tied of her braid and placed her hands on Chloe's shoulders. "You don't ever do something because it's expected of you. Your body is your own and who you choose to share it with is completely up to you."

Chloe turned her head, half-smiling at her mother over her shoulder, feeling relieved and thankful. While it wasn't a subject she actively went looking to talk about, she was glad that she could and that her mom was such a good listener. Much like her husband, Moira's advice was just as good and it helped Chloe understand herself and her choices a little more.

"Now… Do you want to talk about why a certain handsome Hale boy can't keep his eyes off you?" Moira suggested, smiling.

" _Mom_ …" she complained, looking away.

"I'm just saying… He didn't seem to appreciate the other wolves  _sniffing around_."

She snorted, rolling her eyes. "Well I'm perfectly capable of keeping the wolves at bay on my lonesome, thanks. I don't need to be marked as property to turn someone down."

"You're right, you don't. And I think, if how sorry he looks is anything to go by, he's figured that out." She squeezed Chloe's shoulder. "Whenever you want to talk about it, you know I'm here, right?"

She smiled, nodding. "I know."

"Good." Moira kissed her head and then pushed up from the blanket. "I'm going to go stop Brody before he starts building houses for the small brood of squirrels he's collected."

Chloe laughed and watched her go. She pulled her braid around to her front and played with the tail as she cast her eyes around in a subtle search for Derek. While she didn't agree with his methods of scaring off what he thought was potential suitors, she didn't feel like wasting what little time they had avoiding him either. She couldn't find him, but the scent of that blueberry pie was still calling her.

Boy drama could wait, she had pie to devour.


	9. Celebrating the Wolf Moon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] Amazing fic poster made by [dhfreak](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day), so leave some love on her Tumblr!
> 
> [2] **Polyvore** : [Chloe's outfit](http://www.polyvore.com/blue_gold_chloe/set?id=106883247&lid=3167372)

****[ ](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day)   


**VIII**.

The only part Derek didn't like about the Wolf Moon was how it affected everyone, himself included. Because there was such a high concentration of wolves in the area, it was natural that some got more territorial than others. While it was meant to be a celebration, encouraging packs to meet and bond, it often led to a few fights. Male wolves were territorial about two things: land and women. Having grown up in a pack made mostly of women, he should have known better. Sure, he had the influence of his uncle Peter, which, depending on the day, varied from good to terrible, but that was no excuse.

Chloe wasn't his, no matter how he felt about her. In the short time they'd known each other, he felt like she was getting under his skin. Not like his sister's did when they were being irritating, but like a wave of heat that simmered inside him, arcing up and rising in temperature until sometimes he just couldn't think straight. And part of it could be the moon, there was no ignoring that, but it felt different. He'd met girls on moons before, and he knew what lust felt like. While he and Paige hadn't slept together, that didn't change the fact that he wanted to, he'd been attracted to her on every level; mental, emotional, and physical. But what he felt around Chloe was different to anything he'd felt before, and he didn't understand it. It should have worried him, should have warned him even, but instead he found himself reaching perilously closer to the flicker of flame that burrowed inside him, fanned each time she looked at him, or he caught a whiff of her scent, or he just heard her voice…

So when he saw her talking to someone, he made the not-so-intelligent decision to intervene. Troy reeked of hormones; it was obvious even from afar that he was being friendly with Chloe for one reason only. In hopes that the moon would encourage her to roll around in the grass with a mutually hormonal wolf. And the thought of her being with anyone but him put Derek on edge. So much so that he felt the shift gnawing at him, clawing as if to get free, to attack, to defend its territory.

But Chloe wasn't territory, and she made that very clear.

He kept his mouth shut as she told them both off for their pissing contest; he couldn't argue with her. She was right. And he knew, somewhere, his mother was rolling her eyes at his male posturing. In fact, he was rolling his eyes at himself. But that didn't stop him for looking for her. She said she already had plans and he hoped that meant she wasn't giving up on him entirely. He cast one last warning look at Troy because, yes, she wasn't property, but she'd also made her choice, and if the boy wanted a fight, Derek wouldn't hesitate. Whether Chloe wanted to be fought over or not, Derek's wolf wanted a fight, and he was adamant he would win.

When he finally found her, she was sitting in front of her mother who was braiding her hair down her back. She looked pretty, her chin propped on her knees as she watched her sister dance, a smile tugging at her lips. And he felt that shift in his chest as she laughed, that tug and pull at his heart that he didn't understand. His hand absently rubbed his chest, feeling a peculiar ache that he couldn't fix.

He cast his eyes around before finally walking away, deciding to talk to her later. He found his mother by one of the tables, laying out some of the jewelry she and Laura had made. Beside it, she put out the handmade scarves Cora and Hope had knit. Peter was bringing his famous chili, though Derek hadn't seen or heard from him since the day before, when he'd interrupted things at the school. Peter tended to keep to his own schedule and didn't often let anyone know exactly what he was doing, but Derek was used to being a little more in the know than the rest of the family. It left him feeling uneasy, but he pushed the feeling aside.

"Did you bring your dream catchers?" Talia wondered.

He glanced at her and then down at the table. "Some of them…" His brow furrowed. "I haven't had any nightmares lately."

She looked up at him, smiling gently. "Maybe they're working."

His lips pursed. "I don't think they suddenly kicked in after two years, mom."

She eyed him thoughtfully. "Hm… Maybe it's not the dream catchers that are doing it then."

He could hear the suggestion in her voice, but he dropped his gaze to the table, letting his fingers wander over some of the designs she and his sister had put together. Earlier, after breakfast, Chloe had sat down with Laura, who'd been trying to finish up a few pieces before they left for the celebration. While there weren't any on the table, Chloe had been tying bracelets with some of the leftover hemp Laura wasn't using. He wondered if she'd handed them out to her family.

"She's leaving tomorrow," Talia persisted.

Derek hummed, but stared down at a long necklace, the centerpiece made of a black claw with a white opal stone sealed into the crown around the widest part of the claw.

"I saw how you lit up when you thought she'd be coming back this summer."

Sighing, he lifted his head to look at her, looking irritated. "I can't be excited? They're family friends, right?"

Her eyes narrowed at his tone, but she merely pursed her lips. "I just don't want you to jump into anything… You're still healing from things with Paige."

"Stop," he said, his voice dark.

She met his eyes, watching as they flashed a bright blue. "You can't avoid the problem forever." She reached for him, covering his hand. "I understand if she helps make it feel better… But you have to be careful, Derek. You have to be  _ready_."

He swallowed tightly, shifting his feet. She sounded worried, but more than that, he heard an urgency in her voice, a warning that he didn't understand.

"This look serious," a voice interrupted.

Derek turned, finding Laura beside him, looking between them curiously. "Is this about Chloe?"

He frowned, letting out a long sigh. "Can all of you please butt out of my love life?" he muttered, before stepping away from the table. He squeezed his hand, feeling the claw necklace dig into his palm, the chain hanging from his fingers. He tucked it in his pocket and kept walking.

Dillon and Noah had made a few friends of the boys around their age and were sitting together in a group. Derek shook his head, amused, when he heard them talking about the fights later. Usually, a couple hours before sundown, they would clear out an area in the middle and let whoever wanted to fight. But there were rules. Don't draw blood unless you're willing to shed your own, and no death. It was a peaceful meeting, but aggression was high on moon days. Sometimes it was better to release that energy before the moon rose, and with opponents who were just as willing, and just as capable, of fighting.

Derek had only participated once before and that had been because Peter kept pushing him to. He'd won, but barely. He'd been young and not as violent as the boy he faced, but he'd been arrogant and thought he could take him. The only reason he had was because he was just a little bit faster. Afterwards though, he knew it was best not to press his luck. Growing up, he'd enjoyed the fights. He picked his favorites, deciding who was stronger as they stepped into the makeshift ring to battle, and was always invigorated when his choice won. Peter often took bets, played the odds, and came out more the winner than anyone in the ring. It was because of his own interest as a boy that he didn't fault Dillon or the other boys for being excited, even if he knew that the violence, while a part of their culture, wasn't always as glamorous as it seemed.

He found Chloe at the pie table, happily accepting a slice of blueberry and ducking her head to breathe in the scent before she offered a grateful smile. With a wave of her fork, she started walking away, making her way around the edges of the clearing. He followed after her, keeping his distance as he tried to think about what to say. His attention was caught, however, when he noticed the tears in the back of her dress. When he'd confronted Troy, he remembered reaching for her, his hand on the small of her back. He remembered his nails elongating too, but he hadn't realized they'd cut through the fabric.

Chloe stopped just short of a crowd of people, her gaze on her pie as she cut off a bite with the corner of her fork. He moved up behind her, keeping his hands to himself, but resting his chin on her shoulder, briefly distracted by her scent. He restrained himself from nuzzling her neck like he wanted to.

"If I apologize, will you forgive me?" he wondered.

"Depends on how sincere the apology is," she replied before sliding her full fork into her mouth and licking her lips of the lingering crumbs.

He sighed, turning his head so his cheek rested against her, and stared up at her profile. Her lips twitched, but she refused to budge. "I was an idiot… A territorial, possessive—"

"'Neanderthal' comes to mind," she interrupted.

"That works," he agreed.

She glanced down at him. "I can take care of myself," she reminded seriously. "I don't need some big, male protector."

"It wasn't that I didn't think you could protect yourself."

"No?"

"No." He let his hands fall to her hips as he raised his head. "I saw him as a threat, just not a violent one."

Chloe twisted her upper body to face him better. "Was I sending out any vibes that I was interested in him?"

He shook his head.

"Do I actively look like I'm trying to find someone to hook up with?"

He again shook his head.

She raised an eyebrow, her mouth curled up on one corner. "I'm going to say this, and probably regret it later, because it will definitely sound even cheesier out loud than it does in my head, but…" She sighed. "The way I feel when I'm around you, I don't ever feel like that… Not with anyone." She shrugged. "So, not to encourage your male ego, but you have no competition, not from where I'm standing."

He grinned then, slow and proud.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Careful, your head's already a little too inflated." She turned back around, taking up another bite of pie. "You want some?" she offered from the corner of her lips as she chewed.

He nodded, but when she turned to offer him a bite, he merely ducked his head down and kissed her. He nibbled her lips, sucking on them lightly, his tongue stroking over hers. The plate fell to the ground forgotten, pie lost in the grass, while she reached her hands up, framing his face, thumbs stroking over the high arch of his cheeks. His arms wrapped low around her waist, fingers slotting through the tears in her dress to touch the bare skin of her lower back. She was so warm, so soft… His heartbeat— or was it hers? —filled his ears, loud and quick, pumping erratically.

He pulled her until her chest was flat against his own and lifted her up a little, so not even the tips of her toes could brush the grass beneath. His mouth slanted over hers, hot and quick, his breath panting between his parted lips. Her fingers had moved up to thread in his hair, tugging as if to bring him closer. She nipped at his lips, her nails dragging down his neck, and he could feel more than hear the growl that vibrated from his chest. For a moment, his hands wanted nothing more than to pull the already torn dress completely apart. He wanted to press her down on the grass and lay between the cradle of her hips, hiking her leg up against his side, his fingers dragging down the inside of her thigh.

His teeth were out before he could stop them and he tasted her blood as they nicked her lip. It was an unusual thing to control his lust, as sometimes blood only kicked a different desire into action, an animalistic need for violence. But instead, he sucked on her lip, lapped at the pearl of blood with his tongue, soothing the cut as it healed itself, the taste still lingering in his mouth. His forehead rested against hers and he let her slowly slip down, her feet touching the ground. He didn't let go, though; instead he held on, his eyes closed, breathing her in, letting her scent soothe the animal pacing inside him. He listened as their combined hearts slowed down, felt as the tail of her braid brushed against his forearm, and nuzzled his nose against hers affectionately.

When he finally opened his eyes, he was staring down into hers, a dark evergreen. Her cheeks were flushed and her lips swollen; it only made him want to do it all over again.

"Derek! The fighting is starting soon," Dillon's voice suddenly interrupted. He was a feet few away, looking excited.

"We're coming," he told his younger brother. "Go find a good spot…" Just before Dillon ran off, he whistled, calling him back. "Have you seen Peter?"

Dillon shrugged, shaking his head. "Mom's serving the chili though, so he must be here somewhere."

Derek nodded before turning back to her, effectively dismissing his younger brother. "You wanna find a good vantage point?"

She shrugged, turning her head to survey the crowd. "It looks like we've already got prime standing room tickets."

She tugged him back toward the outer ring. Tables had been moved out of the way and the collected group was making a ring, the inner area meant to be enough space for a fight. Though Derek knew from experience that, as soon as they were in fighting mode, most wolves didn't care what was in their way and plowed right through it. It was a good thing they healed so quickly or the event might have had to lose one of its most enjoyed traditions. As it was, he still eyed the ring warily, keeping an arm around Chloe as two entered the center. He recognized them as alphas, even without the flash of red eyes they gave each other. It was common for alphas to start the fights, usually something easy and playful, setting a precedent for the rest of the night.

While he'd never seen his mother fight, he heard she used to, before she became alpha of their pack. Talia complained sometimes that she couldn't now because her shifter status made her special, so others were hesitant to fight her. Laura didn't mention it often but Derek knew she worried that if she turned out to be a shifter when she took on alpha status she wouldn't be able to compare to her mother's status. He wasn't worried; Laura worked hard to be the best wolf she could, she followed Talia's teachings closely and never slacked. Occasionally, he even felt grateful that he wasn't next in line, that way he never had to worry about not measuring up. He'd already screwed up enough in his life, becoming alpha would only end in disaster.

"You okay?"

"Hm?" Derek looked down at Chloe, staring up at him, her brow raised curiously.

He nodded, wrapping his arms around her waist and dropping his chin to her shoulder again. It felt good to hold onto her, to just be close. She covered his arms over her stomach, fingers stroking, nails lightly grazing his skin. He watched the fight periodically, but his attention was focused on her. He nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck, kissing her skin lightly. She scrubbed her fingers back through his hair and rested her head against his.

"What will you do if someone challenges you?" she wondered.

He looked up at her. It wasn't common for a wolf to defer a fight. It was even looked down on sometimes. Their nature was to fight, to stalk. They were predators, and to turn their back on that instinct wasn't favorable. He squeezed her waist and answered, "Nobody will."

Her lips curled. "Knock on wood."

The two alphas separated. Derek knew there was a victor, but they were shaking hands and going their separate ways, so he wasn't sure who it was.

The ring was open to other contenders now and he watched as a couple of younger wolves stepped in. They were scrappy and fidgety and he knew there'd be blood before it was over. He cast his eyes around, searching for Peter, who was no doubt looking for bets. When he finally spotted his uncle, he was carefully staying away from Talia, smirking at someone who offered up money before he tucked it in his chest pocket and winked at his new customer before moving on.

Unlike his sister, or his nephew, Peter had never fought in the ring. Not for the first time, Derek found himself thinking his uncle was more of an intellectual wolf than a physical one. He worked a different angle than the rest, finding a way of life that would always benefit him in the end. Derek could both appreciate his ingenuity and dislike his methods. In the end, if it benefited Peter, it usually put someone else at a disadvantage.

"It's a wolf eat wolf world, Derek," he heard Peter's sly, mocking voice in his head.

He shook it off, focusing on the ring, where the two wolves, minus their shirts and now wearing a few claw marks, had each other in a mutual head lock as they pulled and tumbled, looking for an in. They were evenly matched though and Derek wondered how long it would be until someone stepped in and called it a tie, forcing them to separate before real damage could be done.

Peter was still taking bets, pausing at a pair of identical twins. One boy wanted in on the action, while the other merely shook his head. With a shrug, Peter took the one boy's money and moved on.

It wasn't five minutes later that the boys were split up and a tie was called, which meant Peter kept all the winnings, if his smirk was anything to go by.

"I'm regretting dropping that pie," Chloe murmured, not all that interested in the fight. A tall woman had entered the ring and called out her brother for a fight. Sibling fights were always interesting; there was hesitation in each swipe but a drive to be better than their own at the same time. Laura had teased more than once that she would drag him out some time if he kept giving her attitude.

Derek cast his eyes around for the tables that had been moved out of the way. "There's still some left," he said, finally spotting the one dressed in freshly baked pies.

She followed his gaze and perked up. "I'm going to go grab a slice." She tipped her head back to see him. "You want anything?"

He shook his head. "I'll just steal some off you."

She narrowed her eyes playfully at him before she slipped out of his arms and walked away.

He watched her go, licking his dry lips, grinning when she looked back at him over her shoulder knowingly. She winked and he grinned in reply. It wasn't until she reached the table that he focused back on the fight, not surprised to see the sister was beating her brother. Women could take more pain and he'd seen, first hand, just how brutal they could be if pushed. It was why he never question his mother or sister as alpha. There was no one more capable.

When the fight was called in her favor, Peter seemed all the more happy, raking in even more money. What he needed with it, Derek didn't know, it wasn't as if the Hale family wasn't already more than well off. But then, Peter's motto was to never let an angle go to waste. As they waited for another contender to line up, Derek cast his eyes around, spotting each of his family members, one by one. Predictably, Dillon was as close to the ring as he could get, excitedly talking with the other boys about various moves he liked. Cora was standing with Samantha Sullivan, but they'd apparently tired of the waiting and had started playing a clapping game together. Hope sat on the ground next to Cora's feet, picking at the grass. Talia and Moira were standing together near the back of a crowd, occasionally glancing at the ring but not paying it much mind, while Laura was stalking around the ring. It wouldn't be the first time she fought and Derek had full confidence she would win. He just hoped this wasn't the day she decided to call him in.

It turned out it wasn't Laura he had to be worried about, as Troy took center-stage and was staring right at him.

He regretted not knocking on wood as Chloe had suggested and cast his eyes back, looking for her.

"Is this a bad time to say I told you so?" her voice piped up from his right.

He looked over, his lips pursed. "Is this going to count against me?"

She shrugged, taking a bite of her apple pie, the cinnamon scent wafting up to him. "You've already apologized. And you can't turn down this fight without looking bad, so… No."

He breathed a sigh of relief before tugging the sleeves of his shirt up. "You going to cheer for me?" he asked, lips turning up in a smirk.

She laughed under her breath. "I'll kiss your fractured ego better if you lose."

He rolled his eyes, but walked into the ring, rolling his shoulders and stretching his neck.

Peter perked up on the other side and quickly started looking for bidders.

Troy was tall, a few inches more than Derek. They had the same general build with wide shoulders and a torso that tapered down, built with lean muscles that came in handy for speed. Truth be told, Derek couldn't remember seeing Troy at any previous Wolf Moon's, so he didn't know how he fought or if this would be an easy win. What he did know was that it wasn't smart to show any sign of uncertainty. So he pasted on a smirk and raised an eyebrow.

"Still bitter you lost the girl?"

Okay, so taunting probably wasn't his best idea, but he couldn't help himself.

Troy sneered, letting out a growl as he snapped his teeth. "She's still got time to change her mind."

Derek's face darkened, his amusement fading. He braced his feet and tipped his head. "So do you."

There was a barely perceptible pause as Troy reconsidered what he'd done, but then he came to a decision and shifted, hair sprouting across his jaw, his nails elongating into claws, teeth sharpening into vicious fangs. He leaned forward, crouching into a fighting stance. And Derek waited for the strike, reading his opponent's movements. When Troy lunged for him, Derek reacted, bringing his elbow down, hard and fast against Troy's back, right between his shoulder blades. He let out a howl and fell to his knees. Derek walked a few steps away, turning to wait for the second wave. Troy shook it off, stood, and rolled his shoulders, letting out a snarling huff through his nose.

He wasn't as quick to run for him this time, and Derek raised an eyebrow.

Troy snapped, swiping his arm forward, nails reaching for and just missing Derek's chest. His arm was still coming around in an arc when Derek stepped forward, kicked Troy's bent knee out from beneath him and, as he hit the ground kneeling, Derek brought both hands down on either side of Troy's head, clapped against his ears, disorienting him for a moment. Dazed, he pitched toward the grass, his hands beneath him to catch his fall.

Derek peered down at him, his brow furrowed.

But Troy didn't tap out, instead he swiped his leg forward, knocking Derek's feet from under him. He caught himself on the way down, but Troy was up again, and looking smug. He raised his leg, ready to stomp his foot down on Derek's midsection, but he rolled out of the way and sprung to his feet, rounding to face his opponent. When they rushed each other, their hands braced on each other's shoulders, trying to find a grip and an advantage, but Derek knew they were evenly matched in terms of strength. When Troy tried to flip him over, it only resulted in them both twisting mid-air, landing back on their feet, still struggling. He could hear Laura's voice in his head, giving an irritated sigh before she told him that if he couldn't beat him in strength alone, he needed to be smarter.

He released his grip just enough so that Troy tripped forward, surprised by the lack of pressure. Derek took his advantage and headbutted him. He felt Troy's nose shatter under the impact, his hands loosening from Derek's shoulders as he fell to the grass on his knees. This time, it didn't matter than he didn't tap out, one of the judges stepped forward, deciding Derek was the winner. Troy was still holding his nose as it bled, needing to right it before it could heal. He glared up at Derek, blood pouring over his hands.

Content with his win, Derek walked back to where he left Chloe, but paused momentarily when he didn't find her standing where she'd been. He cast his eyes around as he left the ring, nodding in brief thanks to those who offered him congratulations. He couldn't say it was much of a victory, but he was happier with the result than he would have been if he'd lost. He made his way around the clearing, searching her out. With so many wolves, it was hard to pinpoint an exact scent; hers was mixing in with everyone else's along with the food that was put out and the forest around them.

Pausing next to Peter, he waited until he finished a transaction and then asked, "Have you seen Chloe?"

"About this tall, snarky, not particularly fond of me?" he asked, a hand raised to his shoulder.

Derek rolled his eyes. "Yes."

He shrugged. "I think she walked off with one of her brother's, something about returning a squirrel to its family." His expression showed how very much he didn't care before he shook his head and returned to business.

With a sigh, Derek left him behind and continued walking around. He found Laura, but she hadn't seen which direction Chloe had gone in and she was too busy getting ready for her own fight to care. He wished her luck before moving on and was almost to his mother and Moira when he caught a whiff of her on the air. He changed direction and started toward the tree line.

Chloe and Brody were standing together, hand in hand, while a small squirrel scurried off from them in no particular direction.

"How do you know it has a family?" Brody wondered, his brow scrunched up inquisitively.

"Because he looked well loved," she answered without missing a beat.

"But I could love it too."

"There are different kinds of love, Brody… He would have been your pet and I'm sure that you would've taken great care of him. But if you did that, you'd be tearing him away from his own pack. He wouldn't know how to function. He would miss them all the time."

"Would you miss us?"

She stared down at him. "Of course I would." She rustled his hair sweetly before her hand fell to cup his face. "But I don't plan on going anywhere any time soon."

"Not even if you fall in love?"

She blinked. "Where's this coming from?"

"Samantha said you were gonna fall for Cora's brother and then you'd move away and you'd be a Hale and we'd never see you anymore," he blurted out, frowning. "Can he do that? Can he take you away to his pack?"

"Samantha seems to have a lot of ideas…" she muttered.

"Cora said it too. She said people who fall in love go away and start their own packs and they forget their families…" His feet shifted worriedly. "Are you gonna forget me?"

"Never," she vowed, dropping down to knee in front of him. Cupping his chin, she tipped it up so they were eye to eye. "Do you know who I love more than anything and anyone in this whole world?"

He shook his head.

" _You_." She tapped his nose. "You and Samantha, Noah and Bo, you're all mine, and you always will be."

Brody nodded slowly before pressing his face down against her shoulder. "But if you do, if you do make your own pack with Derek, can I be in it?"

She smiled, chuckling against his hair. "Yeah, Brody, I'll steal you away in the night, okay? How's that sound?"

He laughed, nodding his head against her.

"C'mon." She picked him up in her arms and held him easily on her hip. "You're missing all the unnecessary violence."

Derek ducked out of the way, leaning back against a tree, waiting for them to pass. He didn't move for a while, his brow furrowed. He shouldn't have eavesdropped, but as soon as they'd started talking, he hadn't wanted to interrupt, and as the conversation progressed, he found himself interested in what she had to say. He wasn't surprised Cora was planting ideas; she was young and she didn't really understand relationships yet. Having things put out there in such a black and white statement was a little unnerving. Kids had a way of seeing the world in a laid out set of steps, forgetting the branches that were attached to each milestone.

He pushed off the tree and started back toward the group, but his mind was elsewhere. It wasn't until a hand slipped into his that he shook it off, focusing again.

Chloe smiled up at him, amused by his distraction. "So? I heard you won."

He shrugged. "It wasn't hard."

Her brow raised. "You're so modest it physically hurts."

He snorted, rolling his eyes. "You want me to lie?"

"No…" She tipped her head back. "I'm just saying, arrogance has a limit on how much is attractive."

"Maybe I'm flawed." He pulled her closer, his hand sliding over her hip.

She stared up at him from beneath her lashes. "We all are."

He bent forward, his forehead finding hers. "Moon's rising."

"I know." She shivered and slid her hands up his sides, her eyes briefly flashing gold. "I can feel it."

Around them, the group was starting to get ready, breaking up into their packs to gather in the power circle. Children were being rounded up and brought back to their parents. But Derek didn't pay much attention to it, content to focus solely on her. The rest of the world seemed to move around him as if in slow-motion, just blurred bodies moving to and fro.

"We should give them a head start," Chloe told him, taking a step closer, until her body was pressed completely against his. "Take up the rear… for protection reasons."

He hummed, his gaze falling to her lips.

"Unless that overwhelming ego of yours need to be at the front of the pack."

His mouth curled in a smile as he laughed, a deep chuckle from the depths of his chest. "I think I'll survive."

"Good." She released him and took a step back, casting a look at him over her shoulder. "I'm going to help them get Samantha and Brody ready and then we'll meet back here."

He nodded, watching her go, her hips swaying attractively, and a peek of skin from the tears in her dress that made his fingers twitch.

A hand came down hard on his shoulder, startling him slightly. Derek turned, half-annoyed, and not at all surprised to find Peter standing next to him.

"You, my dear nephew… are going to get laid," Peter announced.

Derek blinked, his brows hiked.

Peter smirked at him. "Here's hoping she doesn't go easy on you." With a wink, he turned on his heel to walk away. But after only a few steps, he paused, dug his hand into his pocket, and then returned to Derek's side. "Here… I wasn't kidding about being a terrible babysitter." He dropped a strip of condoms into Derek's hand before walking away, not the least bit embarrassed.

Derek stood, mute, not quite sure what he was supposed to do or how he was supposed to react. He quickly put the condoms into his pocket, but wasn't so sure he'd be using them. For all he knew, Peter was just being Peter, making comments that held little to no weight. But then he remembered the press of Chloe's body against his and the look in her eyes, he remembered how it felt to kiss her earlier and how desperately he wanted to just rip her dress off of her, and, more, he remembered what she said about never feeling the way she did about him with anyone else. If she felt even a fraction of what he did, then maybe Peter wasn't completely insane… Or maybe he was just getting his hopes up.

Casting his eyes to the sky, he watched as it darkened. He was about to find out.


	10. Hot Blooded

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] Amazing fic poster made by [dhfreak](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day), so leave some love on her Tumblr!
> 
> [2] **Polyvore** : [Chloe's outfit](http://www.polyvore.com/blue_gold_chloe/set?id=106883247&lid=3167372)

[ ](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day)

 

 **IX**. [NC-17]

As the sun was setting, everyone gathered together, the alphas forming a ring in the center, joined at the hands. In a larger circle around them, the betas did the same, forming two more rings. The chant started with Talia; words that had been seared into his mind since Derek was just a little boy, back when his tongue tripped over the pronunciation. They came easily now, flowing from his tongue as effortlessly as his mother's name. The energy started to flow, like an invisible rush of air, twisting and turning around all of them. He could feel it move from wolf to wolf, like a battery charger, filling them up to capacity. Some of them shifted as soon as they got a taste, the power moving around them so potent. Heads were thrown back, eyes closed, as the chanting rose, louder and louder, deeper with passion. Feet started moving; the center moved left, the middle ring moved right, and the outer ring swayed side to side. Blue, gold, and red eyes mixed together, nails formed into claws, biting into the hands of the person next to them. Blood mixed with the dirt under their feet, was breathed in as it laced the air. Snapping growls could be heard, a few howls from the children, anticipation running deep.

They moved faster now, the chanting quicker, and the power thrummed, it pumped through his veins, making his heart hammer and his skin warm. He felt invincible, like the world around him was inconsequential. He felt powerful and hungry and eager to run, to bay at the moon, to wrestle in the grass.

His eyes snapped around in search and finally landed on Chloe. She stood between Bo and Noah, her head back, her braid swaying at her back. Her features had sharpened, lupine face more angular, fierce in its intensity. Her eyes turned, catching his, and he felt the growl reverberate from his chest, shaking his entire body. His hands tightened around the ones he held, but he didn't notice or care that they winced and whimpered. He stared at Chloe and he felt the tug, the thread around his heart pulling tight and knotting itself. Her back arched up, shoulders back, like she felt it too, like it was a physical force.

Everyone suddenly stopped, the chanting quieted, and then it was only Talia's voice that rose up, her arms raised above her head, her vivid red eyes staring up at the moon with fierce devotion. When she stopped, she was panting, and a shockwave of power blasted through them all, soaked into their bones. Slowly, hands fell apart, blood still dripping from their fingers, and then the rings parted, letting Talia take the lead, moving toward the tree line. Derek lost sight of her for only a moment, until he saw her standing under the light of the moon, fully shifted into a natural wolf.

Howling rose up, sending birds scattering from their perches among the tree branches. An eerie calm came over the forest at first, as if everything and everyone came to a complete stop. The wind seemed to still, muscles tensed, and the anticipation crept down the spines of every werewolf standing in wait. It was common for everyone to shift; it happened almost immediately for the younger wolves, unable to curb the instinct.

Talia let out a huff of breath, gazing over them, and then she turned, bowed her head, and leapt forward, racing through the trees with agile grace. It was the sign for everyone else to follow. Dirt and grass spit up as feet quickly moved into action, packs separating into individuals, racing after her, spreading through the trees, running, wild and free.

It was beautiful. Some ran bent over, hands moving across the ground as easily as their legs, connecting completely with the wolf inside them, while others stayed upright, leaping over fallen trees, using them to kick off of as they cartwheeled through the air. The energy was intoxicating, the power almost overwhelming. So many wolves in one place, so much power and knowledge, unbridled and lapping up every moonbeam that shone through the criss-crossing branches.

Chloe and Derek ran at the back, side by side, their every leap and roll and twisting turn falling into sync. She'd traded in her long dress for jean shorts and a white tank top, giving her more movement. Her braid swung at her back, whipping around so abruptly, it snapped at the air. Derek watched her as she ran, her chest heaving, the exhilarated smile spreading her lips. She was joyful. Her eyes still that bright gold, her ears elongated to points at the top, poking out from her hair. She was beautiful. One of her fangs bit into her lip and he felt his heart thud in his chest.

She looked at him, spinning so she was running backwards, and grinned at him. He smiled back, raising an eyebrow when she stopped suddenly. His feet slowed down, his head turning to follow her, but she darted left, moving around him, circling, dashing from tree to tree, just fast enough that he was only catching her out of the corner of his eyes. He kept turning, trying to track her, to anticipate her, but she was too fast, weaving in and out of sight, a natural at keeping her prey from seeing her. And he stopped, his chin tipped down, because that was what he was right then. He was her prey and she was stalking him, moving in for the attack. Only he wasn't nervous, he wasn't scared, he didn't for one moment think that he was in danger.

In fact, when he heard her steps, when he could feel her standing just a few short feet from him, he fell to one knee, a subservient position, and waited. She walked toward him, slow and steady, and stopped just inches from him. Her hand found his hair, her claws dragging along his head, teasing his skin, and he felt a wave of heat radiate from the top of his head down to the bottoms of his feet. Her hand slid down, cupping his chin, and she stepped closer. He nuzzled his face against her stomach before resting his cheek there, his hands raising to grip her hips, nails dug in just enough for her to feel it. He could smell the arousal on the air, but he couldn't focus enough to be sure if it was his or hers or a mixture of both. He breathed it in deep and closed his eyes, waiting.

Her hands finally covered his and tugged upward, a silent cue that he followed, rising from the ground, grass and dirt clinging to the damp spots on his knees. He stood close enough that their chests brushed each time they inhaled. His hands slid up her sides, her shirt riding up with each inch of her skin his fingers touched, and he moved them around to her back, pulling her impossibly closer. She tipped her head back to see him, her lips parted, a flash of white teeth drawing his eyes. He bent to kiss her, his eyes raising to meet hers once more. She fought to keep meeting his gaze but as he teased her lips, her eyes rolled back, and she let her head lean away as he kissed down her chin and along her neck. He reached down her body and cupped a hand behind her thigh, squeezing as he lifted her up until her legs wound around his waist, ankles locked at his back.

They stood there for a moment, suspended in the light of the moon, his mouth moving over her neck as her fingers filed through his hair. But then she tugged his head back and bent to catch his lips, sucking on the top half before she finally pulled back, panting. She untied her legs from around him and sunk back down to her own feet before turning on her heel, making her way back toward where they came. She took his hand and tugged him after her as she started running, moving through the trees with purpose. He stayed steady at her side, silent except for his heavy breathing, worried the moment might break suddenly.

But then she slowed down, releasing his hand, and he watched as she moved forward, stepping out of the thickly populated trees to a small, grassy clearing. He thought he could hear the creek nearby, just a faint trickle to his ears. He followed her, his steps quiet, and cast his head back, smiling as the full force of the moon shone down on his face. And his anxiety melted away, his fear that she would change her mind about him or that he would do something to ruin things just faded into the back of his mind. He walked toward her, standing barefoot in the center of a blanket, her braid swaying gently at her back.

She was facing away from him when his body finally met hers and she leaned back against him, her head falling to his shoulder, chin tilted up. His hands curled around her shoulders, squeezing lightly, before they gently ran down her arms, so slowly he could see the goosebumps that raised over her skin at his touch. His thumbs teased over the inside of her wrist before his hands covered hers, palm over top, fingers slotting in between hers and curling in before he raised their coupled hands up and brought them over her chest, criss-crossing, becoming a hug as he bent his head down and kissed her shoulder, resting there a moment, his lips faintly brushing against her skin. Her thumb rubbed against his as she leaned into his chest. He planted kiss after kiss up her neck until he was nuzzling behind her ear, breathing her in, that sweet scent that had been teasing him since the moment they met. His chest squeezed with a familiar pull that he knew she felt too.

She turned in his arms, her hands slipping out of his and falling to his hips. His chest tightened as he stared down at her. Slowly, she reached up on her tiptoes and let her mouth just brush his, her warm breath mingling with his own, before she bit down on his bottom lip, giving it a teasing tug. In the same moment, she pushed her hands under the hem of his shirt and started sliding it up his body. He swallowed tightly, watching her, his bright blue eyes reflected in her dark pupils like a warning. But he blinked it away, dropping his gaze to her parted lips. He helped her pull his shirt free and let it fall, forgotten, to the ground. And then her hands were on him, starting at his shoulders and slowly smoothing a path downward, fingers spread out to make sure she reached everywhere. Her fingers were just skimming over his ribs when she leaned forward and pressed her lips atop his heart. He wondered if she could feel it pounding beneath her mouth.

Her nails scraped down his abdomen, and he could feel her smile as the muscles tensed, flexing under her touch. Just her fingertips tucked into the top of his jeans, lingering there, hanging on the fabric enough to pull it down a little, making the sides dip under his hipbones. And then her mouth was moving,  _down down down_ , her teeth leaving small bites along his skin. She knelt at his feet like he had for her, only her fingers were undoing the button and zipper on his jeans, and her mouth was pressing open, wet kisses around his navel.

He joined her on the blanket, kneeling so they were face to face once more, and when her brow furrowed, he merely reached for her shirt and tugged it up and over her head, throwing it in the same general direction as his own. His hands settled on her hips, drawing her closer, and his head bent so their foreheads pressed together. For a few minutes, all he focused on was her heartbeat, gradually slowing down, and the sound of her breathing.

"I've never done this," he admitted, his fingers tightening on her hips.

"Neither have I."

His eyes opened, searching hers, his frayed nerves returning. "I don't want you to regret it… I don't want you to regret me."

Chloe half-smiled at him. "Why do you think I would?"

He frowned. "Everybody keeps telling me you're leaving, so I shouldn't get attached. But I think already am."

"Trust me, it's mutual," she said, a light laugh leaving her, her grin widening.

His shoulders relaxed with relief, but he still felt like there was more to be said, more to figure out. "After everything with Paige…" He shook his head. "I haven't… I don't…"

"Derek," she interrupted, raising an eyebrow at him. "I don't want any promises. I'm not expecting any." She spread her hands out over his chest. "I like you, and you like me, and the only regret I'll have is if I don't enjoy it to the fullest."

He couldn't remember what he was going to say. That he hadn't felt anything for anybody since Paige, but she changed that? That he didn't know what he could offer her long-term but he wanted to try? But Chloe didn't want reassurances that this wasn't empty, she didn't want him to tell her he loved her for the sake of excusing their behavior. And could he even say that? Sometimes he wasn't sure he knew what love was. He liked Chloe. On a level he didn't completely understand. It was physical and emotional and something else entirely. Maybe it wasn't love,  _yet_ , but he thought it could be eventually.

He reached up, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, letting his finger linger on her face, moving back to trace the apple of her cheek. She'd shifted back, mostly, her forehead and cheeks smooth, her ears round instead of pointed, but her teeth were still long, her eyes still gold. His hand fit around the back of her neck, thumb stroking over the short, wispy hairs that fell loose from her braid. He let them tickle the back of his hand, a focus point as he felt her fingers slide down his chest, finding the opening of his jeans again and undoing it easily.

He was hard, had been for a while, but as her hand slid inside to cup around him, he felt his shaft twitch and tighten even more. His nails curved in response and his hand slid down her back. It was purely accidental when, instead of undoing the clasp of her bra, his nails sheared right through the flimsy fabric. She raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching, and he shrugged in reply. The black straps slid down her shoulders, but he cut those too, this time on purpose, so she wouldn't move her hand away, wouldn't stop touching him for even a fraction of a moment. The cups of her bra still clung to her breasts, but as she rolled her shoulders back, they fell loose, and her bra pooled on the ground between them. A growl echoed from his chest as his head ducked, lips, tongue, and teeth branding her skin as he kissed over the tops of her breasts. He dragged her closer by her hips and leaned her back, his mouth falling to her pale pink nipple and sucking lightly, feeling the skin pucker and tighten under his lips.

Her hand squeezed his cock and his teeth grazed over her nipple, making her breath hitch. He found the front of her shorts and, with jerky, unsteady hands, he unbuttoned and unzipped them, tugging them off her round hips. He was still shuffling them down her legs when he laid her back against the blanket, kneeling between her legs. He had to lean away, pressing her legs back to get her shorts off. She still her had underwear on, a scrap of white cotton fringed with lace. He smoothed his hands down the insides of her thighs, feeling them shake under his touch, as he bent his head, pressing his face to her stomach before he moved lower, breathing her in, her arousal so potent he could almost taste it.

Her fingers ran through his hair, nails lightly scraping at the back of his neck, and his eyes raised to meet hers as he ducked lower, kissing her through the damp fabric stretched over her slit. Her eyes were hooded, but she watched him, pupils dilating as he pressed his tongue flat against her. She shifted briefly, her features sharpening and then smoothing out. His hands found her hips, fingers slipping under the edges of her underwear. She twisted her hips side to side encouragingly and he smiled, turning his head to nip at her thigh. A whimper left her and his wolf growled in reply, before his claws snipped through the last scrap of fabric, tossing it away. This time when his tongue touched her, he could really taste her, warm and heady, spread and open under his mouth.

There was no uncertainty now, only confident instinct.  _Instinct_. That was exactly what it was. A knowledge he didn't quite understand that lent itself to him now. He kissed her folds, sucking them between his lips, his teeth grazing just enough to tease. He braced a hand on her stomach, feeling it rise and fall rapidly, holding her down so she couldn't buck up against him with her reaction. He was her first, he remembered. She'd never done this with anyone else. It was satisfying in a way only a possessive wolf could appreciate. Nobody else had tasted her or heard her cry out, they didn't know what she sounded like when she was coming or felt how her nails dug into their shoulders when they sucked on her clit. Just him. Only him.

His hand slid up her body, curling around her breast, soft and smooth under his palm, her nipple tight and hard between his fingers. He slipped his other hand under his mouth, sinking one finger inside her slowly. She was so wet, so warm, so tight. Had she touched herself like this, he wondered. Her fingers sinking inside her as she brought herself relief. She wouldn't need that anymore. He could do that. He could always do that. His wolf was pacing inside him, impatient, territorial. ' _Bite her! Mark her! Keep her!'_ it demanded. He shook his head, the urge almost too much to ignore.

But then her nails were scoring down his shoulder and he focused again. He had her clit between his teeth, almost too tightly, and she was gripping his hand at her breast as she stared down at him. He could feel her squeezing around his finger, so close. He sucked on her clit, soothing away the sting of his teeth with the lapping of his tongue. Her head fell back, neck straining, and she arched up off the blanket. He curled his finger inside her, rubbing and thrusting quickly. She snapped her teeth to keep herself from yelling and, for a moment, he didn't like it. He wanted to hear it echo in the trees, but logic managed to seep through and reminded him that they were surrounded by wolves. Yes, they were running in the opposite direction, but it wouldn't take much to have them come back, to investigate.

When she slid back to the blanket, he was still lapping at her gently, his chin wet with her. She rubbed her fingers over his hair lazily and tucked an arm behind her head, stretching her body out. He kissed her thighs, still shaking a little, and moved his mouth to her hip, his nose gliding over her skin. He licked his way to her navel, nipping lightly, before climbing up her body, nuzzling her ribs and kissing the curves of her breasts. He kissed the top of her shoulder and sucked along the lines of her collar bones, before his mouth lingered on her chin and his eyes met hers. The tops of his jean-clad thighs were pressed to the bottom of hers, her knees against his hips. She was flushed, her cheeks pink, and he turned his head, playfully biting the curve of one cheek until she laughed. Her eyes had faded back to green as she smiled up at him, her fingers running through his hair, curving around his ears, a soothing, repetitive motion.

His eyes washed over her. Her hair had come loose from her braid and her skin was highlighted a faint blue from the moon. Not for the first time, he was knocked off kilter by how beautiful she was. It was her smile that did it more than anything, wide and warm and full of laughter. He kissed her, wanting to soak that joy into himself, and sink wholeheartedly into the slant of her lips against his own. He could feel her bare chest against his, her body so much softer but no less deadly. Her heartbeat was tapping out a quick staccato against his skin, or was that his? Her hands slid down his back, fingers dipping into the ridges of tightening muscles, lower and lower until she reached the waist of his jeans, slung low on his hips. She pushed at them, her fingers sliding under denim and the elastic band of his boxers alike. It took a little shuffling to get them off, but he did, digging inside the pocket to retrieve the condoms Peter had left him with, and silently thanking his uncle's quick thinking.

He dropped the strip down on a corner of the blanket and watched her laugh under her breath.

"Five? You don't think that's pushing the increased stamina threshold?" she teased.

He rolled his eyes, mouth twitching up. "We're about to find out."

She tucked both her arms behind her head and just watched him a moment, sitting back on his haunches. "Are you nervous?"

He shrugged, glancing away. "It comes and goes."

She hummed, her brow furrowed. "I thought I'd be more nervous, but I'm not…" She searched his face before staring at his chest.

"Why?"

"Why did I think I'd be nervous or why am I not?"

He laid down next to her on his side, his head propped up on his hand. "Both."

She turned to face him, her hand moving to his chest, palm flat against him. "The unknown is always nerve-wracking… My dad used to say I was too foolhardy, I always ran into things with my eyes closed and hoped for the best… It drove him nuts, because I was always the first one to react to things. It took me a while to figure out he wasn't scared I'd find myself in danger, only that I wouldn't know how to get out of it. Finding danger was easy, it was learning how to deal with it that I didn't plan for." Her eyes rose to meet his. "You're not dangerous, not to me… Not physically anyway." Her mouth twitched at his frown. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you're not strong. I mean I'm not worried you'll use your strength against me."

"It helps that you could probably kick my ass," he mused.

She laughed. "You're no lame puppy. I saw you fighting Troy."

His chest puffed out a little, remembering his win.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Stroke your ego much harder and you won't need me."

He snorted, his hand reaching for and squeezing her hip.

She smiled lightly and walked her fingers up his chest. "The nervous thing… Bo's always been more physical than me. He fits that mold. Predator always looking for prey. And for a long time, I worried that any wolf I'd meet would be exactly like him. Power-hungry, arrogant, selfish. And I didn't want that, I can hardly stand it in my brother, so the last thing I wanted to do was tie myself in any way to someone just like him…" She frowned. "Bo isn't careful and I'm the farthest thing from fragile, but some things… Some things you want to handle with a little more care."

He watched her carefully before reminding, "I'm arrogant. I think you've mentioned it more than once."

She laughed. "Yeah, but it's kind of endearing on you."

He grinned, raising an eyebrow.

Her expression softened and she raised her eyes to meet his. "You're not like Bo… You have more heart."

"I don't make you nervous?"

She shook her head. "Just the good kind of nervous…" She moved to sit up and with confidence, she pressed him back against the blanket and straddled his waist. " _Anticipation_." She bent toward him, her lips just barely out of reach before she pressed a kiss to his chin and ducked down, kissing his neck and across his collar bones, dipping lower to find the center line of his torso, biting and licking her way down his frame. Her hands slid down his sides, nails teasing over his ribs. She shifted down to sit on his legs and his chest tightened as she nipped her way down from his navel. Her braid slipped off her shoulder and tickled his hip in the same moment her tongue slid up his shaft. His breath left him a panting huff, his heels digging into the ground as his body tightened up, every muscle tensed. Her hand spread out over his stomach, the same as he did, and he watched as her tongue dragged slowly, until her mouth wrapped completely around the crown of his cock.

"Fuck," he muttered, his head falling back to the blanket. She chuckled, but the vibrations only made him shift, his sharpened teeth clenched tightly as he panted through them, searching for control. But Chloe didn't give him a moment to adjust, she slid her mouth down further, her tongue rubbing side to side, and she let out a low, buzzing hum.

He tried to breathe through his nose, to calm down, but all he could smell was her arousal filling every breath. He could feel her on his leg, wet and warm, and his hands reached for her, finding her knees and curling around them tightly. She raised her head slowly, her tongue still lapping, before finally she released him and leaned across his body to grab the condoms. She tore one off and opened it with her teeth; her hands were quick as they rolled it down his shaft. And then she was leaning over him, her hands planted on either side of his head as she stared down at him.

His grip on her knees loosened, sliding up the backs of her thighs, squeezing and kneading as he went. He adjusted her hips and reached between her legs to line himself up as she pressed back, sinking down on him slowly. He could see a flash of pain on her face, but it was gone as quickly as it had come. He briefly thought of the sex ed class he'd been required to take and how they said women bled and it hurt the first time they had sex. But Chloe was a wolf, she would heal a lot faster than any human girl could. And she didn't look to be in any pain as she moved atop him, her head thrown back, lips curled in a smile.

It took them a moment, but they found a rhythm, naturally moving together, chasing that elusive high. It was like running through a forest, the prey just out of reach, the thrill of the chase making everything inside him coil up, waiting to strike. She arched her back and his hands smoothed up her front, cupping her breasts, thumbs strumming over pebbled nipples, plucking them in time with her hips rolling forward. He could feel her tightening around him, squeezing and rippling. His teeth bit into his lips, blood pearling on his mouth. And her hips slowed as she moved forward.

She breathed in deep before her eyes shifted to gold and she bent to his mouth, licking up the blood and soothing the healing bite with her tongue. Her own teeth, long and lethal, clacked against his, sliding one incisor down his before she broke away, nipping at his shoulder. His hands settled on her hips as his head bowed, mouth wrapping around one of her nipples, sucking and nipping at her skin. He could taste sweat on her, feel it as she moved against him, and he wondered how long his scent would linger on her body after. How long would she smell like him, her whole body marked by his? He growled, his hips pressing up against her harder, making her cry out and tighten around his shaft.

He slid his arm up her back and brought her down until they were chest to chest, his face buried in the crook of her neck. And his wolf reared up inside him; his teeth throbbed. Just one bite, just sink his teeth into her, and his scent would never leave. She'd always be marked, always wear his bite, she'd always be his. But she tugged on his hair, pulling his head back, and grinned as he snapped his teeth at her, feeling denied. She kissed him, her fingers sliding down the coarse hair that sprouted over his cheeks and down his jaw. He tightened his grip on her and, without warning, flipped them over, pressing her down against the blanket, her knees hitched high on his hips. She let out a surprised breath but merely tightened her legs around his waist as he took her hands, pinning them above her head. He moved harder, quicker, deeper inside her, and kissed down her neck, burying his mouth at her shoulder, licking that spot where his bite would go.

Their fingers were twined and he could feel her nails biting into the backs of his hands. Sweat dribbled down between his shoulder blades and he felt the cool light of the moon against his skin. It would be so easy, a few words, a bite, and the Wolf Moon would bond them completely. But it had to be mutual, she had to bite him back, she had to accept him, and they'd already agreed, no promises, no declarations of love. They weren't there yet. So why was his Instinct so strong? Why was it pushing him to mark her? Did everybody go through this their first time? Was it always this intense?

He shook his thoughts off and dragged his mouth from her shoulder, finding her lips instead. Their kisses were sloppy, caught between panting lips. He rested his forehead against hers as he felt her starting to move faster against him, her body arching up, and heels digging into his back. She breathed his name, a strangled whisper, and then she broke, and took him with her. His eyes rolled back in his head as he came, a pent up howl crowding his chest. It felt like he'd fragmented, like parts of him had separated for a few seconds, floating on a stream of absolute pleasure, and then they all came back together and he was left feeling both fulfilled and unnervingly weak.

His arms trembled underneath him and his hips were still slowly moving. She was shaking from the inside out, her hands slowly loosening around his. Her nails retracted and the wounds on the back of his hands began to heal, sealing back up. Still panting, he pressed a kiss to her chin before he dropped his forehead to her shoulder and tried to gather his strength. It took a little longer than usual, his body still tightening and releasing, every muscle feeling wrung out. Eventually though, he slid out of her and sat back, staring down at her, her whole body relaxed and loose and satisfied.

She turned her head up and pointed to a bag in the distance. "Garbage bag," she said, motioning with her hand. "There's also a few water bottles, a cloth, some fruit, and a half-eaten pie over there.

He laughed under his breath, a deep chuckle. He pushed up to his feet, walking over to the bag to get rid of the used condom. He soaked a cloth with one of the water bottles to wipe himself clean, and then returned to the blanket with the food she'd mentioned and the half-full bottle of water. She sat up and plucked one of the apples out of his hand, sitting across from him as she munched.

He watched her, his stomach feeling tight. She was so quick to smile, comfortable with him as she chewed away at her apple. Her hair was a mess, her lips were swollen, and her skin was littered with healing bites. She cast her gold eyes around and tipped her head, listening for animals or any nearby wolves, but seemed satisfied when she returned to her apple. She finished half of it before she passed it to him to finish and turned her attention to the pie. He took her offered apple, sinking his teeth into the green skin, just short of one of her last bites. In between eating her pie, she took sips from the water bottle, again leaving half of each for him.

"You're staring," she told him, leaning back on her arms.

He shrugged, unbothered by her observation.

She smiled at him, her head quirked, and he watched her pupils dilate as she let her gaze wonder down him. He tossed the apple core away and downed the last of the water before he looked back at her. She pushed up to her knees and crawled toward him, rubbing her cheek over his before she said, "We have more than enough time to test that stamina out…" She lightly bit his shoulder, not enough to break skin but enough to remind him of what he was about to do. And it should have been a warning, it should have pushed him to pull back, get some clarity, but she was so close and she smelled so good. His hands found her thighs, gripped them tight, and pulled her into his lap. They would just have to test his stamina  _and_ his control, because he wasn't letting her go until he had to.

For hours, he fought a battle of wills, caught between his want for her and the strained temptation of truly having her. But he won; he might've lingered at her neck, but he didn't bite her, not the way his wolf wanted him to. They spent the entire night in that clearing, using up the whole strip of condoms. In between, they ate the food she'd brought for them and lay tangled with each other, just talking. He liked hearing about her life, about her siblings and her parents and the best and worst moments of her life. He liked how she leaned into him, no hesitation, not the least bit put off when his eyes turned a chilling blue. She was affectionate and warm and he forgot everything outside of her. He untied her hair and picked the grass from it, letting the mussed blonde waves fall down around her and thread through his combing fingers.

The moon nearly lost when she started to fall asleep, resting on her side, her head tucked under his chin, He held her against him, watching the sky lighten, his fingers sliding up and down her back gently, soothingly. In a few hours, she would leave, and he felt a pang in his chest. He turned his head down to kiss her hair and stared at her shoulder for a moment, his heart beating loud in his ears. There was a strange urgency coming from his wolf, as if he was running out of time and he would regret it. But when he bent his mouth to her soft skin, he only pressed a kiss there. She would come back in the summer and they would explore this, they would see where it took them, and then, maybe in a few years, when they were both ready, they would mark each other. Or maybe not, maybe they wouldn't last past this very moment.

What he did know was that the Wolf Moon had faded, replaced by the sun, and he still felt a pull in his heart, he still felt attached to her, and she would always have a part of him that no one else did.


	11. Homeward Bound

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amazing fic poster made by [dhfreak](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day), so leave some love on her Tumblr!

[ ](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day)

**X**.

When Chloe finally woke, she'd only had a few hours of sleep. Derek was curled around her, taking on a protective position even in his sleep. She peered up at him a moment, smiling sleepily at his messy hair and the stubble over his cheeks. They were far enough away from the celebration area that she didn't think they'd be found, but not so far that she couldn't hear them; a benefit of superior hearing. She imagined breakfast was underway and knew that their absence would be noticed. So, while she didn't really want to, she stretched her legs out and carefully climbed from Derek's grip.

He didn't let go easily, however, instead squeezing his arms around her and ducking his head down to press against her chest, nuzzling her as if to get more comfortable. She chuckled under her breath and skimmed her fingers through his hair.

"C'mon, sleepyhead, we've got a post-moon breakfast waiting on us."

He grunted, pressing his face against her skin, the prickle of his stubble tickling her.

"Eventually, they're going to notice, and probably go looking… With my luck, it'll be Peter who finds us, and I  _really_ don't want that. He's smug enough without giving him reason."

Slowly, with a sigh, he let go of her, turning over to lay on his back and rub the heels of his hands against his eyes. Standing, she started moving around the grass, gathering up their clothes. Her underwear was scrapped, so she tossed it and her useless bra into the garbage, muttering to herself that they were her favorite.

Derek chuckled, sounding far too satisfied to her thinking. She dragged her shorts on and donned her shirt, feeling a little too free for comfort. She dropped Derek's clothes, all completely intact, on the blanket next to him. He peeked an eye up at her and smiled.

She rolled her eyes, but couldn't stifle her own grin.

He sat up, stretching his arms back and rolling his shoulders before he started pulling on his clothes. There was something oddly arousing about seeing him put his clothes back on, knowing she was the one who took them off him. She bit her lip at the revelation, her head cocked as she watched him move.

"We're out of condoms," he reminded, lifting an eyebrow as he pulled his shirt down, hiding that appreciative view of his chest from her.

"Not sure we need one for what I want to do…"

His head dropped forward, chin on his chest, as he watched her from the corner of his eyes.

"Look who got confident again…" She walked toward him, hips swaying, and rested her hands on sides.

His arms wrapped loosely around her shoulders as he leaned down, pressing his forehead to hers. "I was only nervous the first time."

She bit her lip as she lifted up onto her tiptoes. "You didn't feel nervous," she murmured against his mouth.

He growled, a deep vibration of his chest, and she shivered, her skin warming. His hands slid down her back, long fingers spread out, and her breath hitched as he curled them around her ass, squeezing as he pulled her up and forward, until she could feel the bulge pressing against his jeans nestled against her stomach. Her arms slid around his neck and her lips teased against his, but they both knew it couldn't go any further. So they spent a few minutes like that, trading lazy kisses, before finally breaking apart. They gathered up the blanket and the garbage bag and made their way back to the celebration. Chloe left the bag with a few others and Derek dropped the blanket down on a pile, before they stepped further toward the crowd, some people sitting on the grass while others stood, each holding a plate piled high with food. Tables were set up with steaming dishes and fresh fruit. Derek's hand reached for hers, fingers knotting together, as they moved toward the line making its way through to get food.

Both Talia and Moira were serving out food, with Laura pouring glasses of juice and milk at the other end. Derek released her to get them each a plate and her hand fell to his side as they paused beside a table to fill their plates with a variety of eggs, smoked meats, and hashbrowns. She smiled when he took it upon himself to dish hers out for her, checking with her each time he scooped out something to see if she liked it, taking it on his own plate if she shook her head.

"How are you going to eat all of that?"

"I burned off a lot of energy last night," he reminded.

Chloe flushed, briefly glancing at their mothers a little farther down the table, by the pastries.

"They're going to smell it," he reminded.

"I was kind of hoping everybody else might drown it out," she muttered, nodding as he scooped out scrambled eggs mixed with peppers.

He tipped his head back to take a sniff of the air but then frowned, reaching for a few slices of buttered toast. "It's covering up a lot of it."

"That's a good thing," she said, breathing a sigh of a relief as she nodded at the slice of whole wheat toast he put on her plate.

His lips twitched down. "I like smelling us."

Her heart thudded in her chest and she touched his forearm, squeezing lightly. "So do I… Just not when our mothers are around."

He glanced over at them, but they hadn't seemed to notice them yet, so he looked back at the basket of muffins on the table. "Think they have any pie?" he teased.

Chloe bit her lip as she remembered licking rhubarb pie off his stomach. "Shut up."

He chuckled under his breath and grabbed up a strawberry Danish before raising a brow at her.

"Blueberry," she told him.

"Do they make rhubarb danishes?" he wondered.

" _Derek_ …"

Before he could tease her anymore, they found Talia in front of them. "I've never had any, but your grandmother might have a recipe."

He stared at her for a second and then looked down at Chloe, struggling for a reply.

"That'd be nice. You'll have to let me know if you find one," she said, opting to be casually polite.

Talia stared at her a moment. "We didn't see much of you two during the run."

"We were at the back," Derek told her, moving down the line toward the fruit.

"And this morning?" she wondered, her brow raised. "I didn't see you giving thanks… You know how important it is for everyone to be a part of the rituals."

"I know…" He nodded. "We'll be there for the goodbye ceremony. We just took our time getting back."

She eyed him a moment and then looked to Chloe, who was suddenly paying close attention to the fruit platter.

Talia finally nodded, accepting his answer, though it was obvious she had her suspicions. "Make sure you get all the kids together. I don't want to lose them when everyone starts splitting off."

"I'm sure they could sniff their way back," he joked.

Chloe pinched his side, but he merely grinned at her.

"Go eat," Talia told him, pursing her lips.

Derek made his way down the table, stopping to grab up an already poured glass of orange juice. Chloe knew she was right in him not wanting her to let him go when, instead of letting her grab her own drink, he grabbed up a second cup of apple juice for her. She shook her head, amused and flattered, and glanced at Laura, who was still pouring out drinks, smirking to herself.

Just as Derek turned to walk away, his sister called cheerfully, "Congratulations, little brother."

Chloe thought she saw the tips of his ears turn red, but he didn't bother looking back, instead walking a little faster. They found a spot against a tree and he sat down, leaning his back against it. She sat beside him, resting her plate in her lap, and realized just how hungry she was as soon as she started eating. Maybe he wasn't wrong about burning off so much energy. She hadn't brought a whole lot of food for them to eat, just some fruit and pie, really. Then again, she hadn't been expecting to spend the whole night having sex. Not that she was complaining. She was happy with her decision, and who it had been with. She didn't feel embarrassed about it, she just didn't feel like announcing it to everyone. She was sure Talia probably knew something was different, it was just the cluster of smells that confused her, overpowered by everyone else to a point she couldn't figure out what was standing out. She wasn't sure if Laura had smelled it or just been able to read their body language, but she obviously knew.

They ate in peace, content with the silence, occasionally trading food between them. Derek had apparently forgotten how much he disliked kiwi and offered it to her, which she was happy to take, while she'd tired of her overabundance of hashbrowns fairly quickly. In the end, it was just them and a shiny green apple leftover. The kids were playing games, some of them organized, some of them of their own making, and the adults were all sitting in groups, mingling with other packs. Derek pointed out a few cousins, aunts and uncles to her, giving her a little history for each. She was sitting between his legs, resting back against his chest, still a little sleepy and happy to just take in the early morning noise as she people-watched.

Derek's forearm rested over her chest, his fingers lightly stroking her opposite shoulder. She hadn't been kidding when she said he wasn't like Bo. Maybe that's what originally attracted her to Derek, how much he wasn't like her brother. Sure, he wasn't exactly hard to look at. But there was also something kind about him, about the way he watched out for his brother and sisters. It wasn't that Bo didn't care, she knew he did, he just tended to leave things up to her whenever he had the chance. He didn't mind taking off into the forest, creating some abysmal plan to sneak-attack Laura to get her attention, leaving three kids in Chloe's care in a forest she didn't know.

Maybe it was the way Derek talked to Brody, treating him like he understood, like they were on the same level, instead of getting exasperated and telling him to stop picking up stray pets. Or how he shifted a little when Cora got caught on the branch, despite knowing she was a wolf and could heal from just about anything. His natural instinct was to worry, to help her. Maybe it was how he worried his eyes would scare her or act like a warning that he wasn't someone she should waste her time on. Or maybe it was how he talked about Paige, taking the blame for it instead of trying to explain it away. Maybe it was how he didn't want to be alpha, that he recognized he wasn't prepared for it like Laura, that she was better trained for the job. It could've been a collection of all of those things. That and an innate attraction she couldn't, and wasn't sure she wanted to, shake. She felt comfortable with Derek, like some part of her fit with him. Maybe it was part of the tug, what her mom said about potential mates. She didn't know how much she believed in that, but she couldn't say she didn't feel something for him. She imagined though, that her mother must have felt something even stronger with Gabe if she chose him over the wolf that made her heart tug.

Chloe raised her hand up, apple turned to Derek, and he leaned forward, sinking his teeth into it and tearing off a bite. She felt a drop of apple juice land on her shoulder, but he bent and licked it away, adding a kiss behind her ear.

They stayed like that, trading back and forth between the apple, until it was time for the farewell ceremony. It wasn't quite as intense as the Wolf Moon ritual the night before, there wasn't blood or power sharing. It was mostly just embracing each other in thanks for coming out and asking them to return next year. There was a lot of hand shaking and hugging before everyone began splitting up, taking down tables and dismantling the fire pits. Everything was put back to the way it was, the garbage collected and the ground put back to order.

The Sullivan family followed the Hales back toward their house, everybody doing their share of carrying something. A sleepy Hope was in Derek's arms, passed out on his shoulder, the other arm carrying a box with Peter's chili pot and leftovers from breakfast. All of the jewelry, scarves, and dreamcatchers his family had made had been shared between the packs, not one left behind. She kind of regretted that, wishing she'd stopped by Talia's table instead of spending so much time by the pies. Then again, she wasn't sure she'd trade one bite of pie in for anything… especially the rhubarb.

Chloe quickened her steps when she saw her dad standing by the SUV, the trunk open for what was left of their things. She smiled at him, stopping by his side. "And how was  _your_  moon?"

He grinned. "Great. I spent it with the other emissaries that came to town. We have our own moon rituals," he told her with a wink.

She gave him a sniff and raised a brow. "Does it happen to involve whiskey?"

"Depending on your emissary, it's either whiskey or tequila. Personally, your old dad's a whiskey man."

"As long as you had fun."

"I did. In fact, I have to stop by the vet's office before we go, drop off something with someone. Remind me, all right? I'd like to introduce you two."

She nodded, smiling. "Sure. Sounds great."

He looked past her shoulder to the others trudging by. "You should go help. We'll be leaving soon. I know your mom's not looking forward to saying goodbye to Talia."

Her smile fell into a frown. "Yeah… They've been inseparable since we got here."

He smiled at her. "Looks like that's a trend with our families… Samantha and Cora, Noah and Dillon…" He raised a brow down at her. "You and Derek."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "I should get these blankets inside," she said, turning on her heel and leaving him behind.

She followed everybody inside and was directed to the laundry room to put the blankets in the wash. After dropping the box in the kitchen, Derek had gone upstairs to drop Hope off in her bedroom to sleep off her long night. Samantha was getting her bag, full of a few things she'd brought over to share with Cora, and dragged it on the ground behind her as she walked across the lawn to her dad, a scowl marring her face.

"We're coming back in the summer," she heard him remind her sister.

Shrugging, Sam sighed, her whole body sagging with the fact that the summer was six months away.

Gabe hugged her to his side and brought her back to the house, encouraging her to get Cora's address so they could be pen pals in the meantime.

"Maybe it'll go by faster than we think."

Turning her head, she found Derek standing behind her. Despite his words, he was frowning out at the woods. She could hear the noise of everyone inside, saying their goodbyes and getting ready to leave. Taking Derek's hand, she led him down the stairs and toward the SUV.

"I don't think my mom's going to be too happy if I switch packs," he joked.

She snorted. "Not sure my parents would go for it either." She dug into the back of the truck and found her bag, unzipping it and pulling out a book from the side pocket. "Here. It's one of my favorites." She held it up to him. "Smells musty and old, just like I like them."

His nose wrinkled, but he took the book, the pages a little tattered, the spine more than slightly cracked, and he rubbed his thumb over the cover, where the gold script of the title was fading from repeatedly being held. "What's it about?"

"Finding your way in the world, even if it's on a completely different path than is expected…" She reached over and opened the book to the center, where a bracelet made of hemp sat. She tied it around his wrist and then turned the book around to him, furrowing her brows as she thought about it for a moment. "Right page, second paragraph, I think."

He looked down, his eyes swiftly reading over the words before he said them aloud. " _…The world didn't stop or pause or ask me if I was okay; it kept turning, kept moving, almost mocking me in its ability to continue. And I had to ask himself, was it because I was so insignificant, so tiny a role in the grand scheme, that the chaos around me didn't matter? Or more, was it that the world had yet to see how truly important I was, because I hadn't yet realized it for myself? I didn't have the answers to those questions, not yet. But I promised myself that I would, one day, even if it took the rest of my life to find out."_

She smiled, letting the words sink into her and then she looked up at him. "It's not much to remember me by."

He shook his head faintly. "I don't plan on forgetting you."

She reached for his wrist and gave the bracelet a little tug. "When I come back this summer, I want to explore this… But I don't want to be someone you're obligated to be with. So if, in six months, you don't feel that tug in your chest anymore, or you've moved on, I'm not going to hold it against you."

He stared down at her, swallowing tightly, and dug his hand into his pocket, coming out with a necklace, a claw on the end and a white opal stone catching the sun. "I picked it out yesterday." He held it up to ask if he could put it on her and she nodded. He slid it over her head and she lifted her hair out of the way. It hung long down her chest, nestled at the valley of her breasts. He ran his fingers over the chain, his knuckles dragging lightly over her skin. "I know you don't want to make promises in case we don't keep them, but I plan on keeping this…" He stared at her seriously. "I'll be here in six months and there won't be anyone else."

Her heart skipped a beat that she hoped he didn't hear, because maybe she did want promises more than she thought she did. He bent to kiss her, tangling his hand in her hair, pulling her closer. She arched up into him, her arm around his waist. She felt his hand at her side, the book she'd given him pressed against her hip. She was content to stay like that, but her family was already crossing the lawn. She pulled back reluctantly, her breathing jagged, and couldn't help from lightly nipping at his lower lip before she dropped back, her feet flat.

Derek glanced over to see Talia and Moira walking together, their arms linked, and then he looked back at her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Six months," he said.

She nodded, her eyes closed and her heart squeezing.

When he stepped back, it was only a few feet, but she felt like there was already a gaping space separating them.

"Chloe, come say goodbye," she heard and turned her head to see the rest of the Hales lined up like they had been when she first arrived. They walked over to the group, Derek moving to join his family.

Chloe smiled at Talia. "Thank you for having us. The celebration was an amazing experience."

"Thank you for coming," she returned, reaching out to take Chloe's hands and squeezing them in hers. "I'm glad we were finally able to meet. Hopefully this summer, we can spend more time getting to know each other."

She nodded. "I'd really like that."

With a few more hugs and a promise to a mopey Samantha and Cora that they would see each other soon, the Hales and Sullivans parted ways.

Chloe helped her siblings into the car and made sure they were each buckled before climbing in herself. The Hale family had moved to stand on the porch, waving goodbye as the truck started to back down the drive. Chloe could smell Samantha's tears, even if she wasn't openly crying, and understood the feeling. She stared out the window, watching as, one by one, each Hale went inside, until only Derek stood watching them leave. She wrapped her hand around her necklace and squeezed, feeling the tip of the claw bite into her palm.

Six months. She hoped it went by in a blink.

…

Derek didn't leave the porch for a while, even after they were long out of sight. He was tired and he considered, more than once, just going upstairs to lay down. The Wolf Moon had knocked most of them off their feet. Even Laura had opted to take a nap after helping their mom put everything away. Dillon was passed out on the couch, clutching a comic book Noah had lent him. Cora was already writing her first letter for Samantha in her bedroom, and Hope hadn't moved since he put her to bed.

Instead of sleeping, he sat in one of the chairs his mother often curled up in and read the book Chloe had left him, pausing every once in a while to look at the bracelet that ringed his wrist, black with blue threaded throughout. He'd seen her making it, but he hadn't known what it was for. The others had been white and he thought he'd seen Noah wearing one earlier. Knowing she'd made something for him herself, he wished he'd given her one of his dream catchers, but told himself he'd just get her address off Samantha and send her one in the mail.

He got through three chapters before his mother joined him, taking a seat in the chair opposite him, her legs tucked up underneath her and a steaming mug of tea held between her hands. She watched him silently, waiting for him to acknowledge her. He sighed, folded the page to keep his place, and put the book down, looking at his mother with mild impatience.

She raised an eyebrow, and for a moment all he did was stare at the freckles that spanned her nose, thinking of all the time he'd spent as a kid, trying to count them all before he fell asleep. He never could though. She always stroked her fingers through his hair and hummed a lullaby, smiling as she watched his eyes dart around, trying to keep count, but he always drifted off and had to start again the next night.

"Sometimes I forget you're not so little anymore," she murmured.

His eyes rose to meet hers, his brows furrowed.

"You'll always be mine, but you'll grow up, you'll fall in love and have children of your own…" She shook her head. "I think every mother wants to keep their children young and innocent. Even when we want you to know the joy of being a parent. Even when I know how amazing you'll be as a father, as a husband, some part of me just wants to keep you with me forever."

He half-smiled at her wryly. "You're not kicking me out of the pack, are you? Because I was planning on sticking around a few more years, at least."

She smiled, but covered it with her mug as she sipped her tea, her eyes still washing over him thoughtfully. When she finally placed her tea down, she didn't beat around the bush. "You and Chloe were together last night. You laid with her."

His throat tightened, his eyes staring at the ground for a moment, not sure what to say.

She reached for him, her fingers under his chin, and lifted it until his eyes met hers again. "I'm not angry."

"You're not?"

"Derek… You're growing up and sex is a natural part of that. I want you to be careful, and I don't just mean who you choose to sleep with. You might be growing up, but you're still young, too young to have children."

"We used protection," he assured.

"Every time?" She raised a brow.

He felt himself blush but nodded. "Yes."

She breathed out a sigh of relief. "It's not that I don't trust you—"

"I know."

"I just…" She covered his hand on the arm of his chair and squeezed it. "You remind me so much of your dad."

His throat burned hollow as he looked at her, a part of him desperate for any story about his dad. She hadn't talked about him since he died, she said it hurt too much. She'd found him that day, hunched over his dad, all cried out but slumped with the loss. She'd brought him home, tucking him into bed, and brushed her fingers through his hair until he'd fallen asleep. That was four years ago, and the memory still made this eyes burn. There were days that he would've given anything to have his dad back, and others when just the memory of him was enough to satisfy that hollow ache. Occasionally, usually when she was feeling particularly nostalgic, Talia shared stories about him.

Derek remembered him vividly. He was larger than life, so tall that Derek had to tip his head back to meet his eyes. And his hair, raven black and hanging long to his shoulders; he was always coming his fingers through it to get it out of his eyes. He always smelled like the forest and he almost always had one of his kids hanging off of an arm or a leg. When Derek was a kid, he used to pick him up by the back of his shirt and just carry him around like that, until Talia said he looked like luggage and so he'd laugh and toss him up onto one of his shoulders.

But it was the memory of how he died that stuck with Derek the most, sacrificing himself for his pack, for his family. And it didn't escape him that his dad knew that was what he was doing, that he had accepted it when he kissed his wife goodbye and told his son he was proud of him. He sometimes wondered, as the blade came down on his throat, if he regretted any of it. Knowing his father though, Derek didn't think he did. It just wasn't in his nature to regret anything.

A week later, another hunter came Beacon Hills, but it wasn't for the reason Derek expected. It was decided that a life for a life was enough and Talia was informed that nobody would be sent to exact revenge for their fallen comrade. Sometimes Derek wished they had come, he wished he could kill them for thinking that one of their hunter's lives was anywhere near as important as his father's had been. But nobody did and they continued on in peace, at least until he'd made his mistake with Paige.

He shook his head when his mother's voice reached him once more.

"You're so handsome, just like him… You're strong and loyal and you have so much heart. You love so deeply, so quickly, just like he did."

He watched her, confused about why that sounded like a bad thing. He remembered how people seemed to flock to his dad, eager to be around such a large personality. Royce was always laughing, always warm, and he embraced everyone, considering anyone he met a friend. He was fiercely protective, his family coming before all else, and he was built for exactly that. A powerhouse if Derek had ever seen one, Royce looked like an alpha wolf even if he wasn't one, broad and packed thick with muscle. The opposite of his lean counterpart, tall where Talia was short, muscular where she was curvy, loud where she was soft-spoken. They were a mismatch that fit perfectly.

"When I met your dad, I was still wild…" she told him. "I didn't want a mate or a husband, I wasn't ready for children. I wanted to be free and I didn't want anything or anyone to hold me back." She cast her eyes away, a faint smile tugging at her mouth. "It took meeting him to realize that being in love, finding someone to share my life with, it didn't make me any less free, it didn't stop me from doing what I wanted to do…. I just had to find the right person to share those things with."

"How did you know he was it?"

She tipped her head, her eyes narrowed. "He never tried to change me, didn't try to chain me down… He liked me exactly as I was; a wild wolf."

"Do you ever regret it? Meeting him when you did?"

"No…" Her voice waivered. "Sometimes I wish I'd met him even earlier… But that's only so we would've had more time."

He nodded, frowning to himself as he stared absently out at the lawn. He would need to cut it soon, it was one of his chores. He usually cut it on Saturday, but with the Wolf Moon, it'd been forgotten. He was glad for it though. He'd wanted to spend every minute with Chloe and he didn't regret any of it. Thinking of her, however, reminded him of what had happened.

He held his breath as he admitted, "I almost marked her."

Talia went still, her eyes darting up to meet his. " _Derek_ …" Her voice wasn't harsh, it wasn't even angry, it just sounded… disappointed.

"I didn't," he said, shrinking a little in his chair. "I just— I… I  _wanted_ to…" He shook his head. "It was like a voice in my head, it wouldn't stop. I couldn't drown it out. I felt like I was running out of time." He dropped his gaze to his wrist, staring at the bracelet. "But I stopped myself. It was hard, but I did it. Because I know, I… I'm not ready for that yet. I just… It felt  _right_."

Talia was staring at him, or, more accurately, his hand, which he hadn't realized was rubbing against his chest. He didn't feel the tug now, just a hollow ache.

"Did it go away?" she wondered. "This morning, when the moon set?"

He shook his head. "No… Not until she left."

Talia's lips pursed before she turned her head away. "You're too young to be mated, Derek."

"I know."

She looked at him, searching his face.

Earnestly, he repeated, " _I know_ , mom."

She sighed, nodding slowly. "Just… Just promise me that you'll take it slowly with her. Promise me you won't rush into it."

"Okay," he murmured, looking down at the book he held.

She stood from her chair and walked to him, bending to kiss the top of his head. "I only want the best for you."

He nodded, because he knew that, he did, he just… He wished he could explain to her how it felt, how strongly the urge to mark Chloe had been. How urgent it was.

But as Talia went inside, he was left to his own thoughts, repeatedly thinking of what it had been like to hold Chloe, just to feel her breath against his neck as she slept. He thought of how easily they fell into sync with each other, how his heart banged against his chest whenever she so much as smiled. And he wondered if he'd already rushed in, if he was already moving too quickly for him to slow down.

Shaking his head, he reopened the book and picked up where he left off.

" _...What is love? I often wonder. A feeling, a notion, a dream, a lie. Maybe all of it. Maybe the best and the worst, the high and the low, the fire and the water that douses it. Maybe love is nothing but a chemical response that tricks the brain into thinking life can be better. Or maybe it's something more. Maybe it's the answer to a question never asked, never even thought. Maybe it's nothing to some and everything to others. But what is it to me? The answer is as simple as it is complicated. Love is confusion. And I'm very good at being confused."_

…

When they got home, the first thing Samantha did was call Cora. Chloe helped her parents empty out the car, briefly annoyed that Bo had disappeared, leaving her to pick up his slack. Most of them had fallen asleep, but she hadn't been able to, still caught up in the memory of the night before. Sometimes, she thought she could still feel Derek's hands on her, his mouth pressed to hers. It was distracting, and she couldn't stop thinking of it, couldn't get it out of her head long enough to get a few hours of sleep. Not that she would've had much success anyway, not between Bo and Samantha's snoring. Noah and Brody were both quiet sleepers, passing out almost as soon as they left the Hales. She'd stroked her fingers through Noah's hair as he laid his head on her shoulder and slept the whole drive.

After everything was put away in their rightful room, Chloe wasn't surprised when her mother decided to take a nap while her dad left for his office. That was another thing. He'd introduced her to Dr. Deaton at the veterinarian's clinic. It was brief, a quick hello and a handshake before Deaton had asked her dad into the back for some private business. But she got good vibes from him and her dad seemed to like him. It was just the way he looked at her, his brow furrowed. He didn't frown, not quite anyway. He just looked puzzled by her, and she wasn't sure what the meant or how she was supposed to take it. But her dad had reassured her that he just hadn't been expecting to meet any of the kids and was probably hung-over from the night before.

Climbing the stairs, she went to her room to unpack her things. It was as she was tossing her dress into the laundry basket, the same one that now had four distinct tears along her back, that Samantha came into her room, waving the phone at her.

"Who is it?" she wondered.

Samantha only grinned and tossed the phone.

Chloe caught it easily and raised it to her ear. "Hello?"

"So I couldn't wait six months…" Derek's voice answered.

She smiled, moving to sit on the chair at her desk. "Some might say impatience is a character defect."

"They might say pointing out people's flaws is one too," he returned, his voice light.

"Touché," she laughed.

He chuckled under his breath. "How long have you been home?"

"Not long. I'm just unpacking now..."

"Do you have a few minutes?"

"Sure."

"I've been reading your book and I have a few pages dog-eared… I was hoping we could talk about them."

The smile she wore threatened to crack her whole face. "Yeah… Yeah, I'd really like that."

"So on page 86, he's talking about what death means, right? I mean, he doesn't give it a name, it's just kind of  _suggested_ , but…"

"No, yeah, I always thought he was talking about death too…"

Settling back in her chair, she decided unpacking could wait as long as it needed. Wrapping her fingers around her necklace, she listened intently to his voice as he extrapolated on the meaning behind the book and the characters and the title. And for the first time since she'd seen him standing on the porch as they pulled away, she felt her heart warm up and squeeze. He was right, six months was too long. She'd just have to content herself with talking to him as much as she could. Somehow, she didn't think he'd mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I kind of left this update for way longer than I meant to. I've had this waiting on my computer just needing a quick edit but I got busy with other stories and kept forgetting. So sorry for the long wait!
> 
> I'm eager to see what you guys think of the goodbye and the progression of these two having a long-distance thing for the time being. I will leave a hint that it's not going to be six months before they see each other again. ;)
> 
> Anyway, thank you all so much for reading, and please do leave a comment!
> 
> Happy 2014!
> 
> \- **Lee | Fina**


	12. A Shift in Power

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amazing fic poster made by [dhfreak](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day), so leave some love on her Tumblr!

[ ](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day)

**XI**.

"Chloe?"

She turned in her chair, brow raised as she found Bo leaning in her doorway. "What's up?" she asked, pushing her headphones back, letting them fall around her neck.

"Dad's waiting for you… Lessons," he reminded.

Her eyes darted toward the clock on her desk and she pushed up from her desk. "Shit." She closed her books and hopped up out of her chair. Digging around in her desk for her other notebook, she grabbed a few good pens, along with highlighters and page markers, before turning to leave.

"Why do you even bother?" Bo muttered.

She looked back at him, her brow furrowed, both with confusion that he asked and that he was sticking around to talk. "What do you mean?"

"Why bother learning about all this stuff? We've got an emissary. If we've got a problem, we just go to him. Y'know, if dad's not around to help."

Hugging her book to her hip, she raised an eyebrow. "Sometimes you need answers faster than someone can drive out to your house, Bo… And besides, I like learning about it."

"Yeah, well you always were a nerd," he said, but it wasn't full of spite, just general observation.

"Thanks, make sure you highlight that when I die from putting up with your toxic personality for too long."

"I'll put it on your tombstone, big bold letter: sister, daughter, nerd."

"More like: wolf, expert bullshit detector, writer," she argued, moving her hand as if to stamp each into imaginary marble.

"Since the only stuff I've read is about school crap, I don't want to jump the gun on your writing career."

She rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the vote of confidence…" She moved to walk past him, but he didn't budge. Sighing, she tipped her head back. "Are we supposed to be having a moment? Some deep conversation? Because I gotta tell you, you're not starting out on the right foot…"

He sighed, glancing back over his shoulder, and then shuffled her back into her room before he closed the door. "I've been talking to mom."

"Okay…" she trailed off, impatiently staring up at him.

"I saw those brochures for the University of Metropolis… You had all the journalism programs circled."

She stiffened. "So by  _saw_  you mean you snooped through my things?"

He shrugged. "Call it whatever you want. Look, the point is, this writing thing is really big to you…"

Crossing her arms over her chest, she nodded. "Yes, it is, and Metropolis is really far away, if you haven't noticed."

"It is," he agreed. "But I've been talking to her and dad and… I think you should do it."

She blinked at him. "What?"

"I think… I think you were always into school, way more than I ever was. And I know you don't think I'm a good fit for being an alpha, but…" He shifted his feet. "Look, I rely on you, y'know? Way too much. I just… I know that if you're there, things'll get done, so I just… I let you do them."

"Story of my life," she muttered.

"And that's the problem…" He shrugged. "I don't think I'll ever really step up and take this alpha thing seriously if I'm always waiting on you to pick up my slack or fix my mistakes."

"So what you're saying is… you want me to go to Metropolis because it will make  _you_ better."

He glanced away. "Uh, yeah, I guess, sure."

She snorted, a smile forming. "Wow, even when you're being selfless, you're kind of being selfish."

He shrugged. "It's a talent."

"Bo, if I go to Metropolis, that means months away a time. And I don't know if you've noticed, but things aren't going so great. Packs are being systematically destroyed."

"I know. I might not take a lot of this seriously, not the way I should, but I listen when they talk, all right?" He stared at her seriously. "I know what's happening, and I'll do everything I can to keep us safe. But keeping you here, that's not going to help us."

"It makes us stronger. We're better when we're together," she argued.

"Chloe, you're the smartest person I know… I don't want you to regret not doing what you want."

"If I do this, then I just get a taste… I'm going to want all of it, Bo. You can't send me away to college to learn to become a journalist and then expect to come back here and not  _be_ that."

"We'll figure that out when we get there," he decided, shrugging.

She sighed, reaching up to pinch the bridge of her nose. "This is the problem. I know you're trying to do the right thing here, but you're not thinking it through… If I leave, if I like it out there, how do you know I'll come back?"

He half-smiled, a little sadly if she did say so herself. "Because you're too loyal not to," he said simply.

She frowned, her head drawn back a little at the revelation, because he was right. Yes, she wanted Metropolis and The Daily Planet, but Chloe was a wolf at heart, she was loyal to her pack, and she would come back if they need her. She would do and be whatever they wanted of her.

"Look, I'm not going to force you to do it, but just think about it…" He snorted. "I mean, if I don't get you out of here and you keep making me look bad, mom might change her mind and make you alpha instead."

She rolled her eyes. "Thanks for your concern."

He grinned at her and walked to the door. "Just think about it, all right?"

She stood for a while longer after he left, trying to let it sink in. She had options now; she could go to Metropolis and study journalism. She could see The Daily Planet with her own two eyes. Her life could be a whole lot bigger than she expected and that was exciting… and terrifying. It was one thing to  _think_  about everything she wanted happening, and a whole other to actually have the opportunity at her fingertips. But maybe she was getting ahead of herself. Maybe Bo wouldn't convince her parents, maybe he'd just figure out how to stop relying on her.

Shaking it off, she put the conversation on the backburner; she was already late for lessons with her dad. Leaving her bedroom, she walked down the hall to his office, knocking twice before she opened the door. He was pouring over a large book, thick and old, the pages a discolored yellow and the writing in inky cursive. So, pretty much like every other book he owned in his impressive library of emissary knowledge.

"Hey, sorry I'm late. I got caught up with my homework," she told him, taking a seat on the couch.

"It's fine," he assured, turning his chair to face her, closing the book as he went. "Pop quiz, what is aconite?"

"Aconite, sometimes called monkswood and better known in my circle as wolfsbane. It's a potent flower that can kill a werewolf depending on what form it's in. Liquid is faster, but powder takes only 48 hours before…" She dragged a thumb over throat and stuck her tongue out in a comic mockery of 'dead.' At her dad's rolling eyes, she grinned. "Hey, didn't you say something about having a jar of it? For emergency purposes."

"Mm-hmm…" He turned toward his tall bookcase and stood, looking through a few scattered bottles, checking the labels as he went. He took down one that was a bright purple. "You remember when I told you there were ways to get around the potency of it?"

"In powder form… Liquid is too strong. It hits the nerves too quickly," she said, leaving her perch on the couch to join him at his desk.

Gabe uncorked the top and turned over an old binder to pour some of the dust out on. "Because it's not in flower form, it's not going to affect you the same. Even just the scent of the flower would make your stomach turn. But grind it up and it's not as strong. Now if you inhale it, that's different. That'll cause intense hallucinations. And if it's introduced to your blood stream, either in liquid form or in a wolfsbane laced bullet, it would immediately start attacking you immune system by traveling through the veins. Even in a human, it would be poisonous, but to a werewolf…" He frowned. "As soon as it reached your heart, you'd be lost."

"Why?" she wondered. "Why does it affect us?"

"Everything has to have a weakness. Call it a safety precaution. Not every werewolf is good, let alone sane. Just like not every human is…" He looked up at her. "You have to have a back-up plan, a way to stop them, just in case."

"So you're saying that when Zeus punished King Lycaon, he created something to stop him too, in the event that he became too strong?"

He frowned. "I don't think Zeus thought that far ahead. In his opinion, turning Lycaon into a lycan was a punishment. It wasn't meant to make him stronger or faster; that would diminish the message."

"So then it was the druids? When they taught him how to shift, they essentially taught him how to be powerful…"

"And to create a balance, to make sure that any who got out of control could  _be_ controlled, they had to create something to stop them."

"But they were allies to the werewolves. Isn't that kind of a betrayal?"

"That depends on how you look at it. When wolfsbane was made, it was only for the event that the pack couldn't control their own. It was never meant to fall into enemy hands. But the world needs balance and when the hunters rose up, they had a code. Wolfsbane may have been a weapon, but it was only meant to be used when necessary."

"So why keep it in the house then?" She raised an eyebrow. "Are we expecting enemy werewolves to come pawing at the door?"

He cast her a frown and turned back to the powder. "Because as much as it's a weapon, it can also be a cure…" He used his finger to spread the dust out more, the purple powder seeming to glint in the light on his desk.

"Doesn't that kind of nullify its purposes then? Any wolf who was hurt by it would know to use it to cure themselves…"

"Not any wolf, and depending on the consistency, it might not be possible. Plus, you have to remember, most wolves wouldn't risk keeping wolfsbane on them. They try to avoid it as much as possible."

"And yet here it is… In a house of six werewolves."

"We're not your average family," he joked, before reaching over to push the dust back into the jar. However, just as he finished filling it, he raised it up while searching for the cork top and accidentally knocked it against the desk, losing his grip on it.

Reacting instinctively, Chloe reached out and caught it, the jar carefully held in her palm. The purple dust had spilled over the edges however and were spattered over her pale skin. Gabe stared at her hand, his entire body tense. Chloe could hear his heart hammering, but as seconds passed and nothing happened, he started to calm down.

Raising his eyes to her face, he stared at her. "Does it hurt?"

She shook her head. "No, I don't feel anything."

He removed the jar from her hand and placed it on his desk before he turned her hand over. While powdered wolfsbane wouldn't have as strong a reaction on the dermis, Chloe know that she should've still felt something. Like an allergic reaction, her skin should have flared up in protest. But she didn't feel anything, not even a sting.

Gabe carefully wiped it from her hand and then told her to wash it thoroughly just to be sure. "If you feel anything later, you have to tell me immediately."

She nodded, making her way across the hall to the bathroom. After washing her hands, she returned to his office and took her seat on the sofa, taking out her book to add what extra information she'd learned to the section titled wolfsbane. Her father was distracted and so didn't say anything, instead peering thoughtfully at the jar of powdered aconite now sitting back on his shelf.

For as long as she could remember, her dad had been teaching her everything she could ever need to know about werewolf history. But it wasn't just about her mother's side of the gene pool; he liked to tell her about the druids. While he'd taught her a few spells, most of them calling on the elements for guidance, he'd carefully avoided any of the darker stuff. She'd seen the books dealing with rituals that demanded sacrifices, but he'd told her that was a part of his history he wasn't proud of and should be avoided at all costs. So while she'd peeked from time to time, as was her nature, she hadn't explored them as much as the other books he had. She preferred the druids who lived by a code of ethics, making them peace keepers instead of side-takers. They were a middle-ground; the proverbial mediators of the supernatural world. It was that part that she thought really turned Bo off. He didn't want to be calm, to subscribe to the notion that there was always another option rather than fight or kill. He was a predator and, to his thinking, everyone else was prey.

The rest of her lesson focused on warfare, but not the way her mother taught it. Moira taught her how to fight, to anticipate an enemy, to never let an opponent see the best of her until they weren't expecting it. Gabe taught patience, he taught strategy, and more than anything, he taught her to look for a solution that saved the most people. As she sat across from him, he would lay out a scenario and she would give him a solution.

"A rival pack thinks one of your betas has been purposely picking fights with one of their own… They want your beta punished. You know your beta isn't a fighter; he can't be the one causing trouble. He promises you that he isn't starting anything. How do you fix the problem?"

Chloe frowned to herself, sitting back in her chair. First, she thought about what Bo would do. He would suggest a fight, he would demand blood from the other pack for daring to suggest one of his betas needed to be punished. And more, he would mock the other beta for not fighting or for running to his alpha to complain about something so pathetic.

Next, she thought about what her mother would do. Moira would ask for an emissary to help them decide, someone who didn't know either pack. She would rest the decision in his hands and accept it however it fell, in their favor or not. It would take the pressure off of her to punish one of her own with the little information and she wouldn't look like she was dishonoring the other pack.

Chloe tapped her chin. "I would investigate. I'd ask for time to think about it and then I would watch them myself. I would track their movements and see for myself what was happening. And if it was my beta, I would agree to a punishment, but it would be handed out by my pack, not theirs. If it wasn't, then I would bring what I know to the table."

He half-smiled at her. "What if the other pack reacts poorly? What if they're insulted that you followed their wolf and didn't take them at their word?"

"I'd remind them that they didn't trust my beta."

His smiled widened. "Remember that wolves aren't always clear-minded… In their eyes, they are the ones looking for justice. Your wolf has done something wrong and you have to remedy that."

"But if I believe them, I'm not trusting my pack."

"Exactly. That's what makes it difficult."

"Pack politics," she muttered in complaint.

He chuckled under his breath. "Try again… What's the best course of action?"

"An emissary," she answered, thinking of her mother.

"Why?"

"Because they have no stake in it; they can be objective."

"You're right," he agreed. "But sometimes, there won't be an emissary to mediate. What do you do then?"

Her brow furrowed as she looked at him. "My first instinct is to protect my pack, to trust them…"

"But…?"

She chewed her lip. "But that's blind. That means they can do no wrong and I know that's not true..."

He nodded, this time not looking amused, but proud. "Good."

"But I didn't get it right."

"Sometimes it's not about what you would do, but knowing that it isn't black and white."

She sighed, rolling her eyes. "You know this is going to bother me, right? I'm not going to stop thinking about it until I'm sure I've made the right choice."

He grinned. "I hope you don't."

"Since when are you my philosophy teacher anyway?"

Chuckling to himself, he rose from his desk. "Since birth." He started toward the door. "Come on. I'm cooking tonight and you're helping."

Nodding, she closed up her books and stood to join him, pausing in her room to drop off her books. Just as she was putting them away, however, she noticed an odd sheen to her hand. She raised it up, letting it linger under the light of her desk lamp, and noticed that it was coming off where the wolfsbane had landed. She couldn't see any still on her skin and she'd scrubbed her hand clean earlier. It didn't hurt and it wasn't sensitive to touch as she dragged a finger over the faintly shimmering skin. But as soon as she touched it, she saw the shine fade away entirely. Blinking a few times, she wondered if it had been there at all.

Shaking her head, she turned on her heel and went downstairs to help her dad in the kitchen. Samantha and Noah were in the yard while Brody fed his animals in the back. She wasn't sure where Bo or her mother was, but she assumed he was going over his own lessons with her.

It wasn't until she was putting the noodles on for spaghetti that she realized her dad's question had been phrased as if she was an alpha instead of a beta.

* * *

It was after dinner, leaving the dishes in Bo's care, that Chloe decided to go for a run. She changed into something looser for comfort and double-knotted her running shoes before making her way toward the trees lining the property.

"Can I come?" Brody called after her, hopefully.

She looked back at him, shifting back and forth on his feet as he stood on the porch.

"Sure, but put your shoes on."

He looked down at his feet, a hole in his socks showing off his big toe. He smiled at her toothily before he hurried back inside and pulled on his sneakers. He was halfway to her when Noah ran past him, grinning as he took up Chloe's left side.

"Race you," he said, flashing a grin up at her.

"You're on," she agreed.

Brody caught up and looked up at them excitedly; she bent down to let him climb onto her back. Being the only human child in the pack, he didn't get to join in on a lot of the activities, but he loved being a part of the runs, if only because he liked how the world around him blurred as they moved.

"Ready?" she asked him, her hands tucked on his knees.

"Yep." His arms tightened around her neck, hand clasped on his opposite wrist.

She counted them off and they raced into the forest. Unlike the Beacon Hills preserve, there weren't any walking paths people could follow. It was wild, growing free and cluttered as it should. It was the animals that had created paths for themselves, the foliage growing up and over whatever lay on the ground. That was why she made sure Brody wore his shoes; eventually, he'd ask to be put down so he could explore and he went through enough socks as it was.

She and Noah split apart a few times, weaving around trees as they saw fit, but they always wound up back together. She could hear her brother's heartbeat racing nearly as fast as his feet. Noah was the fastest of the kids; his love for comic books meant he often encouraged them to call him the Flash. More than just speed though, Noah was agile. He flipped through the air and leapt off of trees as if he could bend gravity to his will. He made running into an art form and she envied him that. While she was graceful, Noah often looked like he was dancing with the forest. He would be a formidable wolf when he grew up, smart and fast and kind-hearted.

When they came to a stop, they were at the highway. Noah won, turning back to her with a smug grin.

"I'm going to pull the older sister card and say that half of my energy was used up carrying Brody."

He rolled his eyes. "Don't be a sore loser, Chlo." He turned on his heel and walked backwards across the road. "It's not your fault you can't keep up. This is just superior biology."

She snorted, and bent to let Brody down, taking his hand and leading him over the road, checking in either direction for cars. She dug into the pocket of her shorts for the key and unlocked the mailbox Noah was leaning against, digging inside for the usual letters. Over the last couple months, Cora had kept up her promise; she and Samantha hadn't stopped writing each other. Sometimes it seemed like they wrote every single day. She passed the envelopes over to Brody and dug out a box from inside, covered in brown packing paper. Seeing her name on top and the return address, she grinned, feeling her stomach flip.

Noah snorted. "Must be from  _Derek_ …" he said, nudging Brody's shoulder with his elbow.

Chloe looked over at him, her brow raised. "Yeah? And what do you know about me and Derek?"

"I know he calls you almost every night and sometimes you stay on the phone with him 'til morning… I hear you whispering."

"What are you even doing up that late?" she wondered, locking up the mailbox and crossing back over the road.

He shrugged. "Sometimes I play video games until I fall asleep." Realizing what he'd shared, he backpedaled, "Only on weekends though."

Amused, she merely shook her head. "You know mom hates those things."

His smile was goofy. "That's why I play 'em at night, when she's sleeping."

"Yeah? Well as long as you keep it to weekends, I won't say anything."

"Okay… And I won't tell them some of the things I hear you and Derek saying."

Her brows hiked. " _Noah!_ "

His laugh echoed as he started jogging through the woods.

Hitching Brody back up onto her back, she joined him. The run back to the house was slower and she enjoyed the scent of the woods as they made their way through. The larger animals kept their distance, while the smaller ones ventured a little closer. Brody was eager to search them out, pointing at a nearby fox and begging her to let him see it up close, but Chloe distracted him. If she let him, he'd spend every day out in the forest, making friends with whatever animal crossed his path. It was endearing, but they didn't have any more space for injured animals or pets.

Noah made it home first, climbing the stairs quickly and making his way inside, shouting for Samantha so he could give her the letters addressed to her. Chloe could see him hand a few over to their mother too, who was sitting in the dining room, sipping at a mug of tea. Brody ran off too, likely to play with his animals a little more. He'd stumbled on a bird with a broken wing last week and had been nursing it back to health.

Taking her package, Chloe made her way up to her bedroom. She tossed it to her bed before she kicked off her sneakers and stripped out of her running clothes. Pulling on a robe, she made her way to the bathroom for a shower, all the while enjoying the anticipation of finding out what he'd sent her.

Noah hadn't been exaggerating. Since she'd left Beacon Hills, Derek had been calling her regularly. They talked about school and family and she would tell him what book she was reading so he could pick up the same and they'd dissect it together. He often gave a complete play-by-play of his practices or games and she knew she was gone for him when she listened to every single word. But some nights, they just wanted to be close, so they let the phone linger at their ears and listened to each other breathe, feeling connected and accepting that it would have to be enough.

After her shower, she dug out and dressed in her pajamas. She still had calculus to finish and wanted to get in a chapter or two of the book she was eating up. She was just brushing her hair at her desk when she heard the knock at her door. It cracked open and she smiled, giving a quick nod at her mother, who stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Moira crossed the room to her, standing at her back, and Chloe knowingly handed the brush back for her to take over.

Her mother's hands were gentle; she brushed through her hair, slow and meticulous, before she finger-combed it a few times. She separated her hair into three parts and started braiding then, her rounded nails lightly skimming Chloe's scalp.

"How was school today? We didn't get to talk much at dinner…"

She smiled. "You mean between Samantha screaming about soccer practice and Brody trying to bring his bird to the table…? I'm not really surprised."

Moira smiled. "In Samantha's defense, that other girl was getting increasingly pushy."

She rolled her eyes, smiling lightheartedly. "Mom, Samantha's the most competitive person on that field. I know she's their best player, but I wouldn't be surprised if the other girls are jealous. I love her, but I don't think she always remembers that human kids aren't as quick as her."

"Some people are more blessed than others. She shouldn't play down her abilities to make others feel better. If anything, her success should be something for the rest of the team to aspire to."

"Spoken like the competitive wolf you are," she mused.

"She's a wolf, Chloe. It's in her nature to be her best at everything. We don't show weakness, we prevail."

Feeling her hands go still in her hair, Chloe reached back to pat one. "You know it's just soccer, right?"

Moira sighed. "It's a symbol."

"Humans can't help that they aren't as fast, that they're fragile, just like we can't help that we're preternaturally gifted… Sometimes, we shouldn't flaunt that. And sometimes it's better to take a backseat and let others experience success."

Moira hummed and Chloe could practically  _hear_ her frown. "I don't remember raising you to have so much sympathy for the weak."

She laughed. "Hey, you can play the 'survival of the fittest card' on somebody else. I know you check on Brody's animals each night and take away their pain."

She didn't reply right away, but when she did, she defended herself, "Brody's young. I don't want him to face the realities of the world yet."

"Mom, I know you're an alpha, but I've seen your compassion. And trust me, it's something to admire."

Sighing, Moira finished braiding her hair and tied it off. With a squeeze to Chloe's shoulders, she moved to sit on the edge of the bed. As she did, she found the brown package Chloe had left behind. Picking it up curiously, she looked over at her daughter thoughtfully. "To be honest, I thought you two would forget each other after we left… Eventually, I thought you'd get tired of the distance, move on to someone closer."

Chloe frowned. "I've never liked anyone around here before, why start now?"

Her mother laughed at her candid response. "So what's different then? What makes him special?"

Her brow furrowed as she stared at the package a moment. "It's just different." She shrugged. It was hard to explain and she wasn't sure she even wanted to. She liked it. She didn't want to overthink it. Shaking her head, she look at her mom and smiled. "How'd training go with Bo?"

"Good," she said, nodding. "I know he's trying."

"He is," Chloe agreed. "We talked about it earlier, about… about Metropolis."

Moira stared at her a long moment. "He's brought it up a few times."

"And what do you think?"

"I think… we have time before you're finished school. Time that I will spend giving it a lot of thought."

Chloe smiled slowly. "That works for me."

Reaching over, she took Chloe's hand and squeezed it. "I want the best for you, you know that, don't you?"

"I know." She nodded. "It's just… sometimes what I want isn't the same as what's best for the pack."

"It's just bad timing." She shook her head. "If this wasn't happening, with the other packs, Chloe, I wouldn't hesitate. I know how much this means to you."

"Mom, I know…" she assured, even as her heart dove down into her stomach.

Standing, her mother cupped her face and kissed her forehead. Chloe covered her hands on her cheeks and closed her eyes.

With that, Moira placed the package on the edge of the desk and gave it a thoughtful tap before she turned to leave. "I'll see you in the morning."

Chloe nodded. "Night."

"Goodnight, sweetheart."

As the door closed, Chloe eyed the package, chewing her lip. She moved it so it was sitting in front of her and considered opening it. Glancing at the clock, she realized he'd be calling in a little over an hour. That gave her time to do her calc homework. Smiling, she opened her books, putting the package off to the side, feeling giddy and warm. Trying to push it out of her head, she took a deep breath and released it on a sigh, putting her focus on the work in front of her.

Vaguely, as time passed, she could hear her brothers and sister all going to bed. They had school in the morning, which meant she had to get up early to make sure she had time to drop them off beforehand. Unless Bo had suddenly decided to take it upon himself, but she was pretty sure he'd sleep right through his alarm, at least until her mom woke him up for sparring.

It was just after ten when she made her way downstairs for something to drink. She was halfway down the stairs when she heard her parents hushed whispers though. While she knew it wasn't polite, it didn't stop her from stopping, her head craned, and her ears perked for sound. In a house full of werewolves, obviously privacy could be completely ignored at any time. It was just respectful not to do so and, since she'd grown up learning that, she didn't usually eavesdrop. Not on purpose anyway. Though she suspected, after what Noah told her, that her siblings occasionally strained their ears and peeked in on each other's conversations from time to time.

"I'm telling you, there was no reaction at all… It should have burned her, at the very least. There's never been a case of a werewolf not having some reaction to wolfsbane."

"How long was it on her skin?"

"A few minutes before I had her wash her hands… Do you know what this means?"

"It's not possible, Gabe," she told him seriously, her voice almost reproachful.

His voice was steady, unperturbed by her ire. "She's been learning since she was a child. She's trained in both!"

"She is a beta in this pack. She is not—"

"If she has the ability, we shouldn't ignore it. You said yourself that Deucalion is making moves against other packs. I talked to Deacon; he knew Deucalion before he lost his sight. He was a peaceful man, and a powerful wolf. But he isn't the same since he was blinded… He's power-hungry, and you know what he's doing will eventually lead back to us."

"I won't talk about this anymore. She's a  _wolf_."

"Moira, please. We have to talk about this. We need to talk to  _her_ about this…"

"There's no more to say."

"That's not true, and you know it…" He sighed and Chloe could hear the rustle of him thrusting his hand through his hair, an anxious tick of his. "Bo's not ready… He's not  _equipped_."

"Bo is in  _training_."

"Ask yourself, honestly, if he would lead the pack the way you want him to."

There was no reply, and seconds seem to tick by into minutes before Gabe spoke again. "I know you don't want to take this from him… But I think we have to seriously consider asking Chloe to start training with you and Bo for alpha duties."

"Do you understand what you're suggesting…? Chloe doesn't want to be alpha, Gabe. She wants to go to school, to be a writer. She doesn't want this responsibility."

"She was  _born_ for this… You've seen her. She has the mind for it, the character, the  _strength_. You've fought her yourself and I've seen you. You were surprised by her abilities."

"She's still a child."

He sighed. "I'm not telling you to pass it to her tomorrow. I'm asking you to give her a chance to train, to see if she is a better fit for this pack. I would never make that decision for you. But you have always asked for my counsel and this is it… I love Bo. He's my son, my first born, and I would do anything to make him happy. But Bo is… He's a beta, Moira… And he always will be."

"He's next in line…" she murmured. "This is his legacy."

"Only if you decide it is."

"It will break him."

"Just bring Chloe into training, let her feel it out. For all we know, it will motivate Bo to take this more seriously, to try harder… It could be the push he needs. And if it isn't… Then we're prepared."

"You think Deucalion is planning something, don't you?"

"I think there are forces set in motion that are out of our control and the only thing we can do is prepare."

"Gabe…"

A creak sounded suddenly, drawing Chloe's attention and she whirled around to see Bo standing at the top of the stairs. Her breath caught for a moment at the look on his face, somewhere between desperate hurt and consuming anger. Her mouth opened, wanting to call to him, to reassure him that she wasn't out to take the position of alpha from him. It wasn't even her idea. Yes, she had her reservations about him, but she'd actually been kind of reassured after their conversation earlier. He recognized he wasn't doing enough and that he leaned on her to pick up his slack. She hadn't thought their parents were even  _considering_ not making Bo the alpha. Even now, even having heard what they said, she wasn't sure how she felt about it. Being alpha wasn't in the cards for her; just today she found out she might have a chance at chasing her real dreams.  _Journalism_.

But it was obvious Bo wouldn't listen to her. He turned on his heel and fled to his bedroom. He didn't slam the door like he would have under other circumstances and that was her cue not to let them know he knew what they thought. So she pushed herself to walk down the stairs and made her way into the kitchen, acting like she hadn't heard a thing and hopefully covering if her mother had heard the creaking on the stairs. She grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and frowned to herself when she found her hands shaking.

"You're still up."

She whirled around to see her dad standing in the doorway, watching her thoughtfully.

She forced herself to smile and nodded, dropping her gaze to the bottle of water as she twisted the cap off. "Yeah, well, I had to finish up some calculus…" She waved the bottle at him before taking a long drag from it. "I'm heading to bed soon though."

He nodded, still staring at her with that look on his face, like he was trying to figure something out.

When he didn't say anything more, she closed the fridge door and moved to leave. But just as she leaned up on tiptoes to kiss his cheek goodnight, he wondered, "How's your hand?"

His eyes fell to it, where the pearlescent shine had once been but now had faded. "It's fine. Doesn't hurt."

"You're sure?" He reached for it, bending her fingers down and lifting the top of her hand closer for him to inspect. "It's not sensitive or anything?"

"Dad, really…" She tugged her hand away. "If I start writhing in agony, I'll let you know."

He pursed his lips, but nodded. "Okay. Get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

"'Kay. Love you." She turned and walked out, taking the stairs two at a time and using her momentum to propel her down the hall as she gripped the top railing and swung herself around. She almost paused at Bo's room, but she knew what he was like when he was upset; there'd be no talking to him. He'd shut her out until he was ready. With a sigh, she moved into her room, closing the door behind her and moving toward her desk. She put her books away in her backpack before settling her attention on the little brown box with her name written on top of it in Derek's slanted print.

She checked the time and her lips twitched. As expected, she heard the vibration of the phone before it actually rang, and scooped up the receiver. "Hey," she greeted.

"Hey," he returned.

She bit her lip, leaning back in her chair. "So it looks like you sent me something in the mail…"

"It's there already?"

"Yeah, I picked it up today. Noah and I went for a run… Which reminds me, I think Cora's writing a letter a day. There were three, just from her."

He chuckled. "She's always writing now. Every night before bed."

Chloe smiled. "That's cute."

"You don't pay the postage for her," he joked.

She laughed under her breath and picked up the box. "So what did this package set you back, then? Did I cost you all your allowance?"

"Have you opened it yet?"

"I thought I'd wait until you called."

"Open it," he encouraged.

Cradling the phone in the crook of her shoulder, she peeled back the tape on the underside and parted the thick, brown packing paper until she got to the box underneath, where the flaps were tucked one underneath the other. She stuck her finger into the middle and tugged until it opened. Reaching inside, she pulled out a white dream catcher; the threads in the center intricately woven together and three streams of thick, fluffy, brown and white feathers hung from the bottom, while two strings of tiny blue beads draped between them.

"Derek, it's beautiful," she murmured, raising it up so she could see it better as it dangled from her fingers.

"Yeah?" he asked, with uncharacteristic nervousness.

She paused, her brow furrowed. "Where'd you get it?"

"Uh… I made it…" When she didn't reply right away, he explained, "For the Wolf Moon celebration, we each make something. So I learned how to make dream catchers when I was younger. My dad taught me. He was a lot better at it. We used to hang them all through the trees, but… since he died, I just make some to share with the others."

"He must've been really talented," she mused, pushing up from her chair and climbing onto her desk on her knees. "I can't imagine anything prettier than this one…" She found an off-centre nail atop her window, waiting for the string of Christmas lights she hung each winter. It was perfect for the dream catcher though, letting it hang over the square window pane, the moon highlighting it beautifully.

Derek always dealt with praise in one of two ways, changing the subject or putting on a show of arrogance. This time, he started talking about his basketball practice and how his friend Joey might be cut from the team soon if he skipped any more classes. Chloe hummed in all the right places and got the general gist of what was going on, but her mind kept wandering to what she'd heard earlier.

"Chloe?"

"Hm?"

"You're distracted."

"Yeah…" She shook her head. "Sorry, I just… It's been a busy day."

"What happened?"

She smiled. Derek had a way of not beating around the bush, which she appreciated. "I was talking to Bo earlier, and he said he was talking to our parents about college… That he might be able to convince them to let me go to Metropolis to study journalism."

"That… That's great. That's what you wanted."

"Yeah…" Her smile faltered. "It is. But…" She rubbed a hand over her face and dropped her voice to a whisper, "But I heard my parents talking—"

"You eavesdropped."

"Like a pro," she deadpanned.

He chuckled lowly.

"Anyway, they were talking about me and Bo and… And my dad thinks mom should start training me to become an alpha."

He was silent for a long moment. "He wants you to replace Bo?"

"No! No, I… I don't know. Maybe." She sighed. "When I talked to Bo, he admitted that half the reason he wants me to go to Metropolis is because he relies on me too much and he doesn't try hard enough at his lessons with mom. And I think dad knows that, because he mentioned that maybe adding me to the lessons would push Bo to try harder…"

"Would he?"

"I… I don't know." She chewed her lip. "Derek, he heard them talking too. He… I—I've never seen him that upset before."

He blew out a long breath. "What are you gonna do?"

"I… have no idea," she admitted. "Being an alpha was never in my plans."

"Doesn't mean you wouldn't be good at it."

Her brow furrowed. "I haven't been trained. I…"

"Maybe you're a natural."

"I'm not. I—"

"You think of the pack first, you're smart, you're strong, you would do anything for your pack. You know how important it is and you would take your mother's lessons seriously… I can see it. I can see you as alpha."

Chloe found herself both flattered and conflicted. She rubbed a hand over her forehead, feeling a headache coming on. "I couldn't take that from Bo."

"It's not just him you have to think about… It's the whole pack. What's best for everyone?"

Pursing her lips, she stared out her window, raising her gaze up to the bright moon. "I don't know."

"Maybe it won't be up to you… If your mom makes the decision, you'll just have to adapt to it."

She frowned. "That means no Metropolis… No journalism."

"This is all a 'what if' game. Your mom might decide against it completely and stick with Bo or she might have you sit in and Bo will start to take things seriously."

"You're right, I know. I just… I can't stop thinking about it." Giving her head a shake, she sighed and moved to her bed, laying down and dropping her head back to her pillows. "Distract me."

"How?"

"Just talk. About anything. What's Peter doing lately?"

He snorted. "You must be desperate. You hate hearing about Peter."

She rolled her eyes. "I don't hate him. I just… strongly dislike everything he represents."

He laughed under his breath. "All right… Well, I've got nothing on Peter. But my Aunt Nessa is coming to stay with us… She's got a couple kids, Jake and Ryan."

"Nessa's the one who married a human, right?"

"Yeah, Bill. He didn't take the bite, but Nessa keeps trying to convince him anyway. Their son Ryan was born human too, but he wants to be a wolf. He never stops complaining about how much easier Jake's got it."

She smiled. "How long are they staying?"

"Don't know. Mom said the house is big enough for them to stay as long as they want… I think because of what's happening with the packs, she's trying to keep everyone close. The more of us there are, the stronger the pack is."

"Makes sense."

"Yeah, except Jake and Ryan are young… and annoying."

"Like most cousins are."

"Just put yourself in my shoes for a second… I've already got three younger siblings, now they're adding two more to the mix, and Laura's always busy with mom… I'm no Mary Poppins. They're going to drive me nuts."

She laughed, muffling it in her hand. "I don't know… I can see you singing 'A Spoon Full of Sugar.'"

" _Chloe_ ," he whined.

"What do you want me to do? I'm a little far away to help."

There was a pause before he said. "Actually… I was thinking maybe you could come down for spring break…"

Her brows rose slowly. "Just me, or the whole family? Because I think Noah has a soccer campout that whole week."

"I was only thinking of you, but I guess whoever else wants to… I know Cora wants to see Samantha."

She gave it a moment's thought before nodding. "Okay. I'll talk to my mom."

"Yeah?"

She smiled at how hopeful he sounded. "Yeah. I'll be the Bert to your Mary."

"Ha, ha," he muttered.

Turning on her side, she stretched over and turned off her lamp before laying back on her bed. "Tell me about your cousins," she encouraged. "Maybe I can figure out something for all of us to do before I come down."

They talked quietly for another hour before she found herself struggling to keep her eyes open.

"Chloe?"

"Mm?"

"I can hear your heart slowing down… You're falling asleep."

"Mm-mm," she hummed negatively. "Don't hang up, I like hearing your voice."

"Okay," he agreed, but he didn't say any more and instead she found herself lulled by the constant sound of his breathing.

It was her favorite way to fall asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everybody! So? Who saw the twist coming on who was going to be alpha? I'd love to know how you guys think Bo will react to the whole thing as time goes on and if you think this will lead to him stepping up as alpha or in the parents picking Chloe instead.
> 
> Thank you all for reading, please do leave a review!
> 
> \- **Lee | Fina**


	13. The Beginning of the End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amazing fic poster made by **[dhfreak](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day)** , so leave some love on her Tumblr!

****[ ](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day)  


**XII**.

Chloe had been trying all week to get his attention, but Bo was doing everything in his power to avoid and ignore her. She tried not to take it personally. She could understand why he was upset; this was something he'd spent his whole life working up to. But it hadn't been her suggestion that they consider her for alpha instead. She didn't want to take it away from him or hurt him. Still, she was reminded of what Derek had said, that sometimes it wasn't about what she wanted, but what was best for everyone. Did she think she'd be better for the pack than Bo…? She wasn't sure she was ready to explore that reality yet.

When she woke up that morning, she was feeling encouraged. The night before, she'd made sure she set her alarm an hour early. For the last week, he'd been up and gone before she'd even rolled out of bed. This time would be different. Or, it was going to be… Until she realized Bo had anticipated her and had set her alarm ahead. Not even just by the hour she'd set it back either. No, he put it ahead just enough that she had to rush to get ready, skipping her shower and breakfast so she could run downstairs and hurry to her car, speeding into town to get to school, all the while muttering some unflattering, and completely true, insults about her brother.

She'd made it to first class, but barely, and spent the rest of the day feeling that little bit off that came with waking up late and feeling entirely rushed.

It was the beginning of a shitty week, and she just knew that, somewhere, Bo was laughing his ass off at her misfortune.

It didn't discourage her from talking to him, however. They were going to sit down and have a civilized conversation about the current family situation, even if she had to tie him down with wolfsbane laced rope to do it.

* * *

Derek was on his best behavior. In fact, he was going out of his way to be particularly helpful. Instead of complaining when one of his younger siblings wanted a ride into town or help with their homework or to play princesses and tea with, he just got the keys or cracked open the textbook or, in one unfortunate experience that resulted in a picture that would always haunt him, donned a sparkly pink tiara and joined Hope at her too small tea table with her teddy bears and dolls. He would never forget Laura's laughter as she snapped the picture, careful to sneak up on him and take it from an angle that wouldn't set off his eyes.

He maintained that it was worth it though. No matter how many times he wanted to tell Dillon he wasn't driving him into town just so he could waste his allowance at the arcade. He was hoping that the more he showed his mother he was a responsible son who did anything she asked, the more inclined she'd be to let Chloe come down for spring break. He was pretty sure she would be more open to it if she didn't know they'd slept together. While she was an open-minded person, there were still some things that put her on edge. And her seventeen year old son having sex was one of them. He briefly wondered if there was a double-standard since he knew Laura was sleeping with Julia, and had been for years. Then again, there was no chance either Julia or Laura were going to get pregnant, not from each other anyway…

There were some upsides to trying to impress his mom. One of them was that he spent more time with his siblings and less time in the house. The less he was in his house, the less he had to spend around his Aunt Jessa's sons, who were balls of energy he didn't have the patience to deal with. Unfortunately, however, his aunt had asked him for a favor the night before, and he was feeling particularly good since he'd just gotten off the phone with Chloe. Which was why he agreed to take her sons to their softball practice the next afternoon, which was, to put it lightly, a nightmare.

Jake and Ryan loved softball, but seemed to forget that fact when it was time to get ready for their practice. Neither of them wanted to go inside and change, so he had to chase them around the yard, gather each of them up under an arm, and basically dress them, one at a time, while the other was hanging off his neck or arms, trying to distract and irritate him. It was a good thing he'd started getting them ready early, anticipating this exact problem, but even after he had them strapped into the van and was on the way into town, they were still driving him nuts. At first they were singing, so loud and high pitched he thought one of his ear drums briefly ruptured. He was getting a twitch in his left eye, he could feel it. Then they started throwing things at the back of his head. It was at this point that he decided he didn't want kids. And that his aunt might have made a mistake asking him to do this, because he was considering drowning them to put himself out of his misery.

By the time they made it to the baseball diamond, he was pretty sure he wanted to beg Chloe to let him come out and see her instead. A week away from the chaos would be a better idea than dragging her into hell with him. But then he opened the van door and his cousins saw the field and finally they were out of his hair. All the energy they'd expended on driving him nuts was now focused on the practice ahead of them. They raced out to meet their teammates and joined in the mix of children in similar uniforms, throwing balls back and forth between them.

Sighing with relief, he walked over and took a seat on a set of wood bleachers set up behind the pitch, far away from any of the other family members. He dug his phone out of his pocket and hit 3 on his speed dial before sitting back, watching his cousins huddle up with the coach for a pep talk. The phone rang a few times before she picked up, sounding out of breath as she greeted, "Hello?"

A smile automatically tugged up his lips. "Hey."

"Derek," she said, surprised. "You're a few hours early."

"Yeah… I'm currently stuck watching Jake and Ryan play softball. And the ride here felt like a mild aneurysm. So I was hoping you could make it better."

She chuckled lightly. "Just a mild one?"

He shook his head. "They're a nightmare… If I was selfless, I'd tell you not to come down and save yourself the headache."

"But you're not?"

"No." He grinned. "No, I'm selfish, and I'm begging you to save me."

Her laughter made his heart thump out of sync.

"Well, if you're begging…"

"Groveling, really."

"It's an interesting image…" Her voice dropped a little lower. "You on your knees…"

He bit down on his tongue and swallowed tightly. " _Chloe_ …"

"Just stirs up a particular memory," she teased.

"I remember," he growled. " _Vividly_."

"You know it's a very submissive position to be in… Funny, since you're pretty dominant in every other position."

He glanced around him, but nobody was paying all that much attention to him. Still, he lowered his voice as he told her, "I'm at a kid's baseball practice. This probably isn't the best time for this conversation."

"Fine. We'll save it for when I come down on spring break."

His brows raised, head perked a little. "Does that mean your parents agreed?"

"I haven't asked them yet," she admitted.

He sighed.

"I know! I just… I've been distracted with Bo. He's still not talking to me."

"Did you try getting up earlier?" he wondered, looking out on the field as a whistle blew and all the kids started doing a lap around the field.

"He reset my alarm," she grumbled. "I don't know how he snuck in since he's possibly the loudest and least sneaky wolf I've ever known, but he somehow managed to set my alarm two hours ahead. I barely made it to school on time."

He tipped his head. "Well, you have to give him credit for strategy."

"No, I really don't," she muttered.

He smiled to himself, imagining a put-out pout on her face. "You'll break him down. He just needs some time to process. And you said yourself that it's making him try harder in alpha lessons."

"True…" she admitted on a sigh. "I don't think I've ever seen him take anything so seriously. He's been surprising mom all over the place. And I think I even heard him helping Sam with her homework last night… If I didn't know better, I'd think he'd been lobotomized."

Derek snorted. "Well, maybe it'll all work out then. He needed a push and this was it."

"Yeah. You're right. I just… don't like that he's mad at me."

"I don't think it's really you he's mad at. You weren't trying to show him up, you just did."

Noise caught his attention then and he raised his head to the field. He rolled his eyes and waved as his cousins shouted his name and waved at him, running at the front of the group as they passed for a second lap around the field.

"I heard that. Did you wave?"

He shook his head, smiling to himself. "Yeah."

"I bet every kid's big sister is staring at you right now, smiling and twirling their hair around their fingers."

He chanced a look around and found she wasn't completely wrong. Although it wasn't only older sisters. He thought he saw a mom or two smiling at him, too. "That's a little creepy," he muttered, turning back around.

Chloe laughed. "I don't want to stroke your ego any more than you already do, but you're not bad on the eyes."

Smirking, he leaned back, resting on his elbows. "Glad you think so."

"Uh-huh." She scoffed. "As if you weren't aware."

"Still nice to hear every now and then."

He could practically hear her rolling her eyes at him. "I can revert back to our previous conversation about you being on your knees with your head between my legs, you know?"

He shifted in his seat, sitting forward once more, elbows on his knees. "Maybe later."

"When you're at home, surrounded by werewolves with advanced hearing?"

He sighed. "How far away is spring break?"

"A few weeks."

"Do me a favor then, and beg your parents to let you come out?" He frowned, staring down at his wrist as he traced his bracelet with his finger.

"I will. Tonight, I promise." But just as soft and reassuring as her voice was one minute, it was lighthearted and mischievous the next. "Why? You miss me, Hale?"

"A little," he admitted.

"Just a little?"

"If you keep teasing me, you're not going to get an encore of me on my knees for you."

She laughed throatily. "I don't want to burst your bubble… but I think I'd be able to convince you no matter how much I tease you."

He grinned, admitting to himself she was right.

" _Chloooeee!_ " a distant shout could be heard.

She sighed. "That would be Brody calling… Apparently the fox he's been taking care of is ready to be released back into the forest."

"And I'm guessing you offered to help him do it."

"Unfortunately."

"You say that like you don't love it… but we both know you do."

"I like how much Brody likes it," she argued stubbornly.

"Nobody's listening to tell you it's 'survival of the fittest'…" he reminded, gently. "And if you want my opinion, I don't always think it is."

"No? Doesn't that go against werewolf supremacy?" she mocked.

He chuckled under his breath. "If we go by that, we're ruling out everything else that makes a person, gifted or not. When it comes down to it in the end, the people who survive might not be the fiercest fighters or the most willing to kill… Mom always tells me that we're predators, but we don't have to be killers. So what if, in the end, the survivors aren't the ones who killed to get there, but who sacrificed and showed mercy?"

"Puts a whole new spin on 'fit' then, doesn't it?" she murmured. "I don't know… I'd like to think the gentle giants outlive the cruel killers, but history isn't always as forgiving."

"History can't be rewritten, but the future isn't over yet."

"You're getting philosophical on me…" she mused. "I like it."

His mouth turned up on one side. "I aim to please."

He heard her name called again, this time with more exasperation.

"I should let you go before he decides to leave you behind."

"Yeah..." she sighed, disappointedly. "Are you calling again tonight?"

"Same time as usual."

"Okay. Enjoy softball practice."

"I will."

After saying their goodbyes, he hung up, tucking his phone away and focusing once more on the field, but his smile didn't fade, which was common whenever he talked to her. As much as he tried to tell himself that he wasn't jumping head first into this thing with her, he already knew he was gone. It wasn't the worst thing he could be.

* * *

Chloe mentally went over the list of parts she needed as she walked down the sidewalk toward her favorite computer store. Her purse, a suede bag fringed with tassels, bumped against her hip with each long lope of her legs. It was a nice day out, the sun beating down warmly, but it didn't reach her under the overhang of the small shops, making her rethink her choice of dress, a dark green number with an empire waist and attractive ruching over her chest. It was a floaty, light fabric that didn't keep out that slight chill of the air that wasn't warmed by the sun, making goosebumps flash over the bare skin of her legs.

Her steps slowed as she reached her favorite book store. Deciding she had enough time to browse a little, she started looking through the outside collection, propped up on an old wooden table that had seen better days, scuffed and dented here or there. She ran her hand over a particularly deep groove in the wood before the cover of a book caught her eye and she plucked it up. The spine was noticeably cracked, but Chloe always took that as a good sign that it had been loved enough to read over and over again. She turned it over to read the synopsis. It was common now for her and Derek to buy the same book; he'd pick out his favorite passages and read them to her. There was something infinitely intimate about lying in bed, listening to his deep voice read passages that jumped out at him, about life or family or love. It was her turn to pick as they'd finished his choice last night.

While she decided to buy the first book she found, she kept looking for others, flipping each over, searching for something that grabbed her attention. There was a bright red book tucked under a few others. There was nothing that said what it was about, no picture on the front cover or summary anywhere to be found; it was just a bright red book with one word typed on it in the bottom corner as a title. She ran her thumb over the white print,  _Survive_ , and frowned to herself. A shiver ran down her spine and her heart skittered, like a frightened lamb faced with a hungry wolf. The irony wasn't lost on her. She flipped through a few pages, searching for something to tell her what it was about, but there was just 90 pages of a story, no forewarning about the plot. She surprised herself when she took it with her, along with two others. When she raised her head to look inside and see if Mr. Matthews, the book store owner, was at the front desk, she caught sight of someone reflected in the window and her heart didn't just skitter, it  _stopped_.

Chloe whipped around, accidentally knocking over a few books with her purse, and searched for the familiar, and unwelcome, face of Deucalion. But when she stared across the road at where he'd been, he wasn't there any longer. She turned her head back to look at the window, her brow furrowed, and then returned her attention to the other side of the road. He'd been there. She felt it in her bones that he'd been there, and he'd been watching her. She could remember the way he held his walking stick, tucked under his hands, stacked atop each other. Those glasses covering his eyes and the vague tilt of a smirk turning up his lips.

Shaking her head, she bent down to pick up the books she'd overturned and bit her lip when she found her hands shaking. It wasn't as if she'd never been scared in her life, of course she had. But the fear that accompanied seeing that man surprised and worried her. It was the Instinct, she knew. Her Instinct was telling her that he wasn't just bad news, he was a worldwide alert flashing and desperately demanding attention. But even after she put the books back in her place and tucked her choices under her arm, she couldn't find him anywhere in sight. She made her way inside to pay, all the while looking over her shoulder, searching the street for any sign of him.

"You all right, Chloe? You look a little shook up," Mr. Matthews said, readjusting his glasses and peering at her with concern.

"Yes, it's fine." She shook her head, offering him a faint smile. "Just have a lot on my mind."

He nodded, tallying up her bill. "This have anything to do with Bo then?"

Her brow furrowed. "Bo?"

"Been seeing a lot of him lately."

"Really…?" Her lips puckered up in a confused frown. "He's never really been much of reader…"

He laughed. "You're telling me. I remember when your dad would bring you two in here when you were little. I'd always find you climbing the shelves, looking for something new to read, but I could barely get Bo to leave the front door. Just stood there, grumpy as could be, calling for your dad." He shrugged, stacking her books up and placing them in a brown paper bag with his store logo on the front. "Oh well. Looks like he's just a late bloomer when it comes to reading."

"Yeah…" she murmured, but wasn't so convinced. As she took the bag and turned to leave, she paused. "Hey, Mr. Matthews, you… you wouldn't happen to remember what kinds of books he was looking at, would you?"

He tipped his head thoughtfully and scrubbed his fingers through his grey chin stubble. "Come to think of it, he spent a lot of time in the same section as your dad. Thought at first he was running errands for Gabe, but…" He shook his head. "Didn't buy anything. Just browses a lot, reads a few things, moves on." He shrugged. "Mythological history, that sort of thing."

"Huh…" She nodded slowly, her eyes turned down in thought. Looking up at the old book store owner, she smiled reassuringly. "You know what, I think he was just looking for some of the books dad's been hinting at, trying to find him a birthday gift," she lied smoothly. "Thanks, though. I'll see you around." She lifted her hand in a wave before she turned to leave.

"See you, Chloe. Say hi to your dad for me!"

"I will!"

Her cheery façade fell as soon as she exited the store, though. Walking down the street, she chewed on her lip and tugged at the claw necklace around her neck, letting her thumb slide back and forth over the sharp end. No matter what Mr. Matthews said about Bo suddenly becoming interested in books, Chloe knew different. She hoped that he was just doing homework to show off to their parents, all in an effort to show them he was cut out to be an alpha. In fact, it made sense. He was probably brushing up on his druid history to make his dad proud on top of how he'd been behaving better at home. She wanted to believe that was all it was. But mixed with seeing who she swore was Deucalion, she found she wasn't as easily convinced. It wasn't just her Instinct that was telling her something was off, it was the investigative journalist in her that told her there was a mystery that needed solving here.

With that in mind, she stopped in at the computer store and hurriedly grabbed up her purchases rather than linger to enjoy the store and goggle at things she couldn't afford without a little help from her parents. She absently thanked Kyle at the front desk, taking her bag from him without hanging out to talk with him like she usually did and then made her way back outside. She'd parked her mom's car a few blocks over and walked toward it in a daze, her mind constantly distracted with trying to figure out why Deucalion would be in town, why he would be watching her, and if it related to Bo's recent reading spree at all.

She skipped the coffee shop, even when the rich scent almost made her pause as she walked by. Giving her head a shake, she kept walking, turning her head down as she dug in her purse for her keys. She'd just looped them over a finger and pulled them out when she walked into someone. Instinctively, she caught herself before she fell, extending her leg behind her and rocking back onto her heel to find her balance. When she looked up, ready to apologize, she was surprised when she was met with an extremely tall man, at least a foot taller than her, with broad shoulders thickly padded with muscle. His head was shaved, showing off the angles and plains of his face to a point that made them severely intimidating.

Chloe felt the wolf inside her stir, pacing inside her, growling deep inside her with wary caution. She pasted a smile on her face and tucked some loose hair behind her ear. "I'm so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going." She raised an eyebrow up at him. "I didn't bruise you, did I?"

He stared at her a moment before he grinned. "No, of course not. I think it was my fault. I was distracted." His head cocked a little. "Do I know you from somewhere? You look familiar.

She laughed. "Hate to break it to you, but I don't think we run in the same groups." She smiled wryly. "Unless you stayed behind a few years to help my high school wrestling team." She shrugged. "Which definitely would've helped them, considering their losing streak."

He ducked his head and chuckled under his breath.

Chloe thought he might've been handsome if it wasn't for the danger she could practically smell leaking from his every pore. "Well, listen, sorry for the drive-by bumping, but if it's any consolation, I'm pretty sure the rest of the town is a lot more aware of their surroundings, so it probably won't happen again." She moved to side-step him.

"How'd you know I was new to town?" he wondered, brow furrowed.

Her eyes narrowed as she smiled, amused. "You're kind of hard to miss. I think I would've noticed you before."

He licked his lips, nodding. "Any chance you might point this newcomer in the direction of a good mechanic then?" he hoped. "I'm having some problems with my brakes."

"Sure." She turned on the heel of her boot and pointed down the road. "Go to the end and turn right. There's a mechanic about a block down. His name's Terry and he'll give you the best deal he can, cross my heart."

"Great. Thanks… Uh…?" He shook his head curiously, waiting for her to finish it for him.

"Chloe," she offered, holding a hand out to him. "And you're…?"

"Ennis," he answered, taking her hand and giving it a quick shake. "Thanks again, Chloe…" He started walking away, calling over his shoulder with a grin, "See ya."

She offered a smile, but as she started walking again, she swore it felt more like a threat than a farewell.

Making her way to her car, she sighed, and wondered if maybe she was just forcing her suspicions on everyone. Maybe she had seen Deucalion and maybe she hadn't. Maybe it was related to Bo's odd behavior and maybe it wasn't. Maybe Ennis was a threat and maybe he wasn't. All she knew for sure was that her brother was pissed at her for something she couldn't control and she needed to change that. So when she pulled out of the lot and started home, that was what she decided to focus on; getting Bo to at least talk to her.

* * *

Down the road, watching the silver sedan drive away, kicking up a little dirt in its wake, Ennis turned to frown down at Deucalion. "Why don't we just kill her?"

He smiled slowly. "Because… It's not time yet."

Ennis growled to himself, his brow lowering heavy over his eyes. "There's something off about her… I could feel it." He shook his head. "She's dangerous."

"The valuable ones always are."

"If she's a threat, we should dispose of her."

"She's not a threat," Deucalion told him, his tone sharp. "Not yet."

"Even better. We can get to her before she becomes one."

Deucalion turned to his pack-mate and raised his chin. When he spoke, the warning in his voice was chilling, "It's not time. When it is, I'll be the one who kills her. Until then, you don't touch her. Do you understand?"

Ennis ground his teeth together in frustration, but nodded. "I understand."

"Good." Deucalion turned his walking stick over in his hand. "Now let's go. I have business to tend to."

As he started walking away, an irritated Ennis followed. "How much does Moira Sullivan know?"

"Enough to suspect but too little to do anything. She's controlled, careful; she won't attack until she's certain."

"Word is getting around about the packs. She has to know something if she traveled to California," he pressed.

"She's a long-time confidant of Talia Hale," Deucalion dismissed. "She went for support and guidance. It's no surprise, really. They always relied on each other."

"If Talia knows, then we have bigger problems."

"As I said, Moira only suspects for now… She doesn't know the lengths I want her to go to become part of the pack."

Ennis frowned, hurrying his steps to get to the car before Deucalion could so he could aid him in getting inside. "Would she, if she did?"

His chin turned down, a frown forming on his lips. "When you killed your pack, Ennis, were any of them family?"

"I had a brother, some cousins," he admitted, shrugging.

"No children, no wife…"

He shook his head. "There was only Kali… who's still pissed she wasn't invited for this trip."

"Kali doesn't like other alpha females. I thought it best to avoid an early massacre," Deucalion dismissed, climbing into the passenger seat and folding up his walking stick.

Ennis walked around the car and joined him, pulling out onto the road quickly enough. "You think Kali can't fight Moira?" he wondered, brow furrowed with consideration.

"Moira is stronger than you think. Her only weakness is her family. If Kali was to fight her one on one, then absolutely, I have no doubt that you would be without a lover."

His hands gripped tightly around the steering wheel as he sighed irritably. "You give her too much credit."

Deucalion turned his head toward him. "What exactly are you implying?"

He gritted his teeth and scowled out at the road. "I've heard things… They said she was mated to you. That when you met, you felt the pull, but she chose the emissary instead."

Lips pursed, Deucalion turned his head forward once more, but said nothing.

"Is it true?" Ennis wondered, looking from him to the road.

"Is there a point to this conversation?"

"If it  _is_  true, if you do feel something for her still… Then it could be clouding your judgement."

"You think because I felt some draw to her that some archaic legend says we were mated for each other, that I won't shred her throat with my teeth?"

He frowned darkly. "I think it was dangerous to show yourself to her and let her go on being suspicious for a whole year… It was dangerous to talk to her daughter, to plant those seeds, and then let her work them out. And I think it's dangerous, you letting her daughter go on breathing when you said yourself that she's a threat."

"Oh, she isn't just a threat," Deucalion said, a smile forming on his lips. "When I'm finished with her, she'll be the greatest weapon any man could ever possess… She'll be  _my_  greatest triumph."

"Weapon?"

"Chloe Sullivan isn't just a girl. She isn't just the daughter of a woman I once knew, no." He shook his head, a maniacal chuckle leaving him. "She's supposed to be our end, but I'm going to make her the beginning."

A red glow began to form behind his glasses then and Ennis swallowed thickly.

He stopped asking questions then; he wasn't sure he was ready for the answers.

* * *

Chloe went over her argument three times before she made her way downstairs to talk to her parents. She wanted to highlight all the ways that her visiting the Hales for spring break would be a benefit. Sam would be going with her, so she'd get to see Cora. Talia was a well-known and respected alpha, meaning she might be able to train her in a few combat techniques that maybe Moira wasn't as well-versed in. Deaton, her dad's friend lived there, so she could keep up with her druid lessons if he called ahead to set it up. And it was always good to keep the lines of communication open between packs, so letting her go out to stay with them showed that they trusted and respected the Hales, which would look good to other packs if they ever found out. Okay, so she might be grasping at straws at that point. But there was no way she was going to lead with, "I really like Derek and want to spend seven days straight with my hands down his pants." Admittedly, she wanted to do other things than that, too, but she was pretty that would be what her parents zeroed in on right away.

Hopping off the last step, she walked around the corner, her hand on the doorjamb to swing her inside. Her parents were sitting on the couch, sharing a bottle of wine and relaxing, when she smiled at them hopefully.

Moira sighed, sitting forward. "I know that face… That's your 'I want something' face."

Chloe rolled her eyes and walked further into the room, hands tucked behind her back. "Presumptuous. I definitely think I should be offended."

Her mother raised an unconvinced eyebrow.

She bounced forward onto the tips of her toes. "Okay, I want something, but it has its benefits, if you'll let me list them."

"Before you do…" Gabe placed his wine glass on the table and clasped his hands. "Since you're here, there was something your mother and I have been discussing that I'd like to talk to you about."

Suddenly, she froze.  _Oh crap!_ Did they want to talk about the alpha thing?  _Now?_ Her eyed turned up, hearing extended, searching for Bo anywhere in the house. Brady, Sam, and Noah had already gone to bed, but she hadn't seen hide nor hair of Bo all day, not even when she'd come home from her trip in town with her only goal being talking to him. She couldn't find his heartbeat in the house, but she wasn't sure if she should be worried or relieved. Sure, she was happy he wouldn't be close enough to hear what they were about to say, but it was late and there was a lot of trouble he could get himself into with the right motivation.

"Uh, you know what? It's late, maybe we should shelve this conversation." She frowned. "Hey, any ideas where Bo is?"

Her parents glanced at each other, sharing a short conversation before they looked back at her. "He's staying at a friend's house tonight. He's been helping out around here a lot and wanted some time to himself."

"Oh…" She fidgeted. "Anybody I know?"

"Chloe… Has Bo talked to you? Has he mentioned anything about… lessons?" Gabe wondered, peering up at her from behind his glasses, sitting slightly askew atop his nose.

"If you haven't noticed, he hasn't talked to me at all in a week. In fact, half the time he tries to avoid even breathing the same air as me." She rolled her eyes. "So no, he hasn't mentioned anything."

"Right, well…" He cleared his throat, shifting in his seat. "You see, the thing is… Things have been changing lately. We've had some…  _concerns_ about the future and we want to be certain that, should anything happen, the pack is taken care of. That it's… in the right hands, you could say."

She stared at him blankly for a moment before finally saying, "You want me to start training as an alpha, because you're not sure that Bo is cut out for it."

"I…  _Yes_." Gabe nodded. "That's exactly what we want."

She took a deep breath and lifted her chin, staring at a spot over their heads. "No."

The room was quiet for a long moment, nothing but the crackling of a fire in the fireplace and the steady heartbeat of her siblings upstairs to fill her ears. She tried not to focus on her parents' heartbeats, knowing it would say more than she wanted to hear at the moment. She finally dropped her eyes and stared directly at her mother, whose expression was, as always, difficult to read. There was a tiny furrow between her brows, but her lips weren't set in a frown, the rest of her face was relaxed and at ease. Her father, on the other hand, was openly frustrated.

"I'm not sure you understand," he started. "This isn't a punishment, not for you or Bo. We only want the best for everyone."

"Bo was promised this," Chloe interrupted. "From the moment he was born, he was told that he would be a leader, he would be alpha. He's trained with mom, he's gone to the meetings, he's met the packs…" She shook her head. "And, as much as I don't like to admit it, he can be a leader. I've seen it. It's why he was always so good at sports. If you give him a team, he will lead it. I know he can." She stared between them searchingly. "He's rough around the edges, I'll be the first to admit that, but he  _wants_ this, and you know Bo!" She laughed, smiling. "He always gets what he wants. He'll do  _anything_ to be the alpha you need him to be."

"You're loyal and it's a good quality to have. But you're pretending that you don't realize how detrimental this is." Gabe stared up at her seriously. "I know he's your brother, Chloe. He's my  _son_. And I never want to do anything to hurt him. But if what I think is coming is really on the horizon, then I'm sorry. We don't have time for him to smooth out those rough edges."

"Dad—"

"Do you think Bo will lead this pack the way it deserves to be led?" Moira interrupted, staring at her with icy blue eyes. Eyes that demanded an honest answer from her.

You're listening to my heart," Chloe stated, meeting her gaze, equally serious.

"I am," she admitted.

"Elaborate. What does this pack need? What does Bo need to be for him to meet the criteria of leader?" she asked, her teeth clenching.

"You already know the answer to that. You've lived it. You've grown up watching him learn. You were there when he fought me, when I taught him, always listening, always absorbing." Moira stood gracefully from the sofa and circled the table to stand in front of her daughter, her head tipped as she eyed her thoughtfully. "You were there when we met visiting packs, hiding in the woods, watching, learning."

She swallowed tightly. "I was curious. It was a habit," she defended.

"It was  _Instinct_ ," Moira argued, her voice raising ever so slightly. "Something inside you, something ingrained in you, knew that you should've been there, you should've been meeting them, making those connections."

She shook her head, turning her eyes away. "Because I've eavesdropped? Because I wanted to know what the other packs looked like?"

"Because I  _heard_ you! I heard you telling Bo the right things to say when he forgot how to greet them. I heard you telling him their names, coaching him, calming him when he started to get annoyed." She reached for her daughter, catching her chin and forcing her to meet her gaze. "You may not like it, Chloe, but you are meant to be the alpha when it's time,  _not_ Bo."

Her eyes burned with tears as she stared at her mother. "He will  _hate_ me," she said, her lips trembling. "This is all he ever wanted. You  _know_ that!"

"And I tried…" She swallowed tightly, her gaze falling. "I tried to teach him, to build him to stand in my place. But Bo is too wild, he doesn't take on responsibility like he needs to, he thrives on war and he scoffs at peace." Moira took Chloe's face in her hands gently and smiled sadly at her. "I had hoped that we would have peace long enough, that I would have more time to teach him, but I don't. It's that simple."

"I'm not ready. I—I wasn't trained for this." She stared at her worriedly before she turned to look at her dad. "I'm not supposed to be an alpha. I wanted to be a journalist. I- I wanted to write. I didn't want  _this_. Please!"

Moira swallowed back the emotion building on her face and took Chloe's hands in hers. "Would you be a better alpha than Bo? Would you lead this pack like it deserves?" She tugged on her hands to get her attention again. "If I asked you, would you do it?"

Chloe turned to look at her, a lump forming in her throat. "You know I would," she whispered.

She gave a short nod. "You'll begin joining us in lessons. Bo will still train as alpha. When it's time for me to pass this on, it will be to the right person."

"He still has a chance?" she asked, her stomach swooping. "He could still be alpha?"

"If he works for it. If he proves himself." Her expression turned severe as she added, "And that is a very large ' _if_.'"

Her shoulders drooped a little, heavy both with relief and uncertainty. This meant that Bo still had a chance, even if it was a remote one, but it also meant that if he didn't meet the challenge then her entire life was going to change. Her whole future was going to be something she never planned for.

"Okay," she murmured, lifting her chin. If she had to train him herself, she would. Bo was going to be the best damn alpha he could be.

"Good," Gabe said, nodding shortly. "Now, what was it you wanted to talk to us about?"

She turned to him and then glanced at her mother. "I want to go to Beacon Hills for spring break," she announced. "I'll take Sam with me; she can visit Cora."

Moira and Gabe looked at each other, exchanging another of their silent conversations.

"A week is a long time for you to spend unsupervised with your… boyfriend," her father said, turning his attention back to her.

"Weren't you the one encouraging me to do what I thought was right?" She raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest. "Anyway, Derek's not my boyfriend. We're not labeling anything. We're just… friends, who happen to like each other."

She was met with amusement.

Her mother snorted, taking her seat on the sofa once more. "Chloe, that boy calls you every single day. He barely let you out of sight the three days we were in Beacon Hills, and when you were together, you barely kept your hands off each other." She leaned back in her seat and crossed her legs. "Talia says you're all he ever talks about. In fact, he's been helping out around the house a lot more, with the kids and chores and running errands, so now I guess I know why."

She sighed, rolling her eyes. "Fine. So we're…  _something_. But that something is undefined currently. And it's something I was hoping to explore in the same general geographical location as him. So  _please_ , can I go visit for spring break?"

Moira let out a long sigh and turned to Gabe. "Talia could help her with some of her training. It might be nice for her to get an outside perspective from another alpha, before she becomes one herself."

"If," Chloe corrected. " _If_ I become alpha."

Her dad sent her a 'be quiet' face that she frowned at and then returned his attention to his wife. "And it'll give us some time with Bo," he admitted.

A few moments passed then in thoughtful consideration, until finally Moira turned to her. "Okay. You can go. But Chloe, you need to be careful."

"I'm not going to start a pack war while I'm down there. It's  _one_  week and I'll be on my best behavior. I'll even keep Sam from completely embarrassing our family name," she agreed, grinning.

"I'm not sure that's the 'careful' your mother wanted you to be," Gabe said, clearing his throat as he reached for his glass of wine.

"Well, then what did she-?"

"If you're going to be sleeping with the Hale boy, make sure you use protection," Moira interrupted her, staring up at her seriously. "You're old enough now that I can't make that kind of decision for you. You've obviously been more… careful about sex than your brother has. And that's fine, of course. As long as you're happy and safe about your choices, then I support them."

"But we'd really rather not be grandparents any time soon," Gabe tacked on.

Chloe was sure she'd never blushed so deeply in life. She looked between them, her mouth gaping a little, until finally she squeaked out. "We are. I mean, we would be, if we decided to do that." She winced before trying to shake off the feeling of humiliation. "Look, there'll be no grandkids any time soon, not from me."

Moira half-smiled, nodding. "Good."

"Great. So… I'm just going to go to bed before this conversation gets any more awkward." She offered a smile before turning on her heel and leaving. She'd just reached the stairs when Moira called her name.

Leaning her head back to see them, she raised an eyebrow curiously.

"I'd like to talk about this soon, just the two of us."

Chloe tamped down the urge to squirm uncomfortably. "Okay. We will," she agreed. And before they could anything else, she left, hurrying up the stairs two at a time.

She closed her bedroom door behind her and crossed to flop down on her bed with a groan. Great, so not only was she still in line for alpha, but her parents knew she'd had sex with Derek, her mother wanted to talk about it, Deucalion may or may not have been in town, and, the ever-prevailing problem, Bo was still avoiding her. Just when she thought there was nothing that could salvage her day, she heard the vibration of the phone next to her and plucked it off its cradle before the ringing could alert the rest of the house.

"Hello?" she asked, her voice slightly muffled from the position she was lying in.

"Hey," Derek's voice returned.

Naturally, a smile turned up her lips as she rolled onto her side. " _Hey_ …" She shuffled up and laid her head on her pillows. "How was softball practice?"

"Chaotic. The boys started off okay, but instead of running off their energy, they only seemed to get more out of control."

"I bet that was a fun ride home."

He laughed. "No, not even slightly."

" _Well_ , I might have news that'll cheer you up…" she told him, biting her lip as she grinned.

"Yeah?"

" _Yep_. I talked to my parents about spring break and… they agreed. I mean, they want me to train with your mom, but other than that, we've got the go-ahead. I figure she'll call tomorrow to set plans up."

His voice raised a little with hope. "So you're coming?"

She laughed under her breath, smiling happily all the while. "As long as your mom agrees, yeah. I'm all yours for one week."

There was a pause and then she rolled her eyes. "Are you fist-pumping right now?"

"A little," he admitted with a chuckle.

"Cute."

"I prefer handsome… charming… sexy…"

"I haven't seen you in a while, my memory's fading, I don't want to give you false praise."

He snorted. "What about charming?"

"You have your moments."

He laughed. "I can see spring break is gonna be fun."

"I wasn't aware your ego was what you were hoping I'd be stroking," she joked.

"It's always up for it," he mused lightly. A beat passed before he added, "You know that's not… I mean… The sex, it's not…" He groaned, muttering 'shit' under his breath. "I just don't want you to think that I only want to see you because we slept together," he finally managed.

She smiled to herself and shook her head, staring at the ceiling as she felt her heart turn over. "Derek, I'm on the other side of the country… If this was a booty-call, you put in a lot of effort when I'm pretty sure half the female population of Beacon Hills would've gladly volunteered."

"Is that your way of saying you like me too?"

"Did you want me to spell it out?"

"I'm a slow learner, maybe you should."

She rolled her eyes, helpless against the way she kept grinning. "I'm the one who said 'no promises,' remember?"

"I don't think that worked out the way you hoped."

"Maybe it worked out better."

He chuckled lowly, the vibration making her stomach clench. "I really like you," he said simply, his voice deep and sincere.

She swallowed tightly and bit her lip. Her voice was as soft as a whisper, "I like you, too."

"Three weeks," he sighed.

Smiling, she tucked the phone comfortably against her ear and relaxed into her bed. "Tell me about your day."

"Before or after softball practice blew up in my face?"

She laughed lightly. "All of it."

"So from the moment I woke up with the phone stuck to my face after we fell asleep talking last night…"

She smiled. "Yup."

"All right…" She could hear his bed move as he laid down to get comfortable. "So I woke up to Laura yelling…"

"Which is typical," she added knowingly.

"A regular morning in the Hale House," he agreed.

Chloe closed her eyes and let the chaos of her day melt away, replaced with the visual Derek was providing of his own. It was getting to be a bit of tradition and she found herself wondering what it would be like when they were in the same house, sharing their days. What would they talk about then? Or would it be like those nights they fell asleep to each other's breathing? She wasn't sure which was better, but she was eager to find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of my favorite parts of this story is my chapter titles, lol. The next chapter is called " _O Brother, Where Art Thou?_ "
> 
> Things are getting complicated! I'm excited for this chapter because Deucalion's popping back up and you get an idea of what's going on with him. I'd love to hear what you guys think about him and Ennis and what your theories are for what's going on or will happen. So much mystery! I love it!
> 
> Thank you all for reading. Please do leave a review; they're my lifeblood!
> 
> \- Lee | Fina


	14. O Brother, Where Art Thou?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Polyvore** : [Chloe and Sam's shopping outfits](http://www.polyvore.com/blue_gold_sam_chloe_13/set?id=97720992)

[ ](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day)

**XIII.**

"Brody!" Chloe called, moving through the woods, swiping branches out of her way as she went. She climbed atop a mossy log and held her arms out for balance as she walked across the length of it. "Brody Sullivan, if you don't answer me I'm going to tell mom that you let the rabbits out of their cages and that's why her favorite white rug has that weird stain on it!"

"He didn't mean to poop. He was just nervous!" her brother yelled back.

Rolling her eyes, she hopped off the log and walked in the direction she'd heard his voice. "Why'd you run off like that? You know you're not supposed to be out here alone."

As soon as she stepped clear of the bushes, however, she knew. Like usual, Brody had found himself an injured animal. It might've worried her just how often they found hurt or battered animals, but the woods weren't the safest place for anyone or anything. There were natural predators everywhere. "Brody, no…" she sighed.

"Come on, Chloe. He's hurt."

"They're always hurt," she muttered to herself before she circled around him and knelt at his side. She reached for the small fox he'd found and scratched it behind an ear, giving a cursory sniff, her lips folding when she smelled the sour tang of death. "Brody, I don't think this one's like the others, okay…?" She rubbed her thumb over the fox's head, not surprised when it barely moved. "He's not doing so well."

"We just gotta take him home. Dad'll give him some herbs and fix him up, and then I'll take care of him." He tucked his small hands under the broken body of the fox and lifted it out from its cover. "It'll be okay," he said, but she wasn't sure if he was talking to her, the fox, or himself.

With a hand on his shoulder, she walked him out of the woods, keeping him close as they tread off the beaten path. It was easy for her to navigate, but Brody was human and sometimes got lost without an advanced sense of smell to point him in the right direction. His feet hurried as they exited the tree line and stepped into the sprawling lawn leading to the tall, butter yellow house they lived in. She was surprised to see Bo was there, sparring with her mother, who was briefly distracted when Brody ran by.

"What's that?"

"Nothing!" her son shouted back to her, scurrying up the steps to get to his dad.

Bo used her distraction to his advantage, attacking her, but Moira was paying more attention than he assumed, and used his advance to drop him. Much larger than her, he didn't move as quickly, and so she often used that against him. By the time Chloe reached him, he was laying on his back, panting. She held a hand out for him to take, but he frowned and rolled over, pushing himself up. Just as he was about to leave, however, Moira stopped him.

"No. You and Chloe should get in some sparring. You two haven't fought in a while. And Chloe hasn't trained with me at all today." She grabbed up a towel and dabbed her flushed face. "I'm going to go see what Brody's drug home. You two need to figure things out."

"Should we really be fighting while we talk?" Chloe wondered, already unzipping her sweater so it wouldn't hinder her.

"You can learn multi-tasking at the same time," her mother said with a smile.

Chloe kicked off her shoes, preferring to be barefoot, and turned to square off against her brother. "So? Are we going to talk?"

He didn't say a word, instead circling around her, his chin down and his eyes slitted.

"If you're blaming me for the alpha training, then you can stop." She watched his feet before darting her eyes up to his face once more. "It was all their idea; I had nothing to do with it."

He let out an abrupt scoff and shook his head, turning to meet her squarely.

"Bo, you can't really think that I'd try and take that from you." Her expression clouded with anger. "I know how much you want to be alpha."

"But you don't think I'm good enough for it," he spat, glaring at her. "You don't think I have what it takes to lead us."

She pressed her lips together and sighed. "I think you're young, and sometimes you just don't take this seriously."

"So, because I like to have fun instead of acting like some pathetic omega, I'm not the right fit?"

Her chin turned down, her teeth clenched tight. "You want the truth? You want to know why they want to bring me in on alpha training?"

He stared at her a long moment before giving a sharp nod.

"It's because you're not controlled enough. You never think, you just react. You don't think of consequences, not for anybody else. You're  _selfish_ , Bo. And an alpha needs to put the pack first."

"So, what happened to you wanting to be a journalist, huh? What happened to leaving us all behind for Metropolis? Where's selfless Chloe then?"

Her jaw ticked as she shook her head. "This wasn't my choice. I never wanted this," she denied. "I wanted Metropolis and The Daily Planet. The only reason they're looking at me is because you stopped working for it."

" _Don't_ ," he ordered, lunging forward a step, his chest heaving. "Don't act like you haven't been showing me up from day one."

" _What?_ " she scoffed. "I have  _not_! I've—"

"From the day you were born, all it's ever been is about  _Chloe_. How perfect and talented and fast you are. You were so smart, you picked up on everything before anybody else. You were almost taking mom out by the time you were  _ten_." He shook his head. "And we both know the only reason you don't now is because you respect her too much. You  _let_ her win."

Chloe swallowed, taking a step back from him. "She's an alpha. She's faster and stronger than I could ever be. I'm not  _throwing_ fights. I—"

"Save it. I've fought you. I've watched you fight with her." He stared at searchingly. "You know, sometimes I just don't get it. You have so much power inside you, you could do anything, but you don't. You never take advantage of everything we have. You could have a full ride to Metropolis if you'd just joined one of the sports teams at school, but instead you pretended like you weren't as good as I know you are." He threw his hands out. "But I watched you, every day since you could walk, perfect fucking Chloe, making me look bad in comparison."

"I never did anything to you. It's not my  _fault_  you didn't listen in lessons. It's not my fault that you couldn't sit still when dad was teaching us, or that you rushed mom before she could finish telling you proper technique." She stepped toward him, glaring up into his angry face, a vein throbbing viciously at his temple. "It's not my fault that you were so eager to show off that you  _wasted_  your potential."

He snapped, reaching for her throat and lifting her off the ground until they were face to face. "If she turns this pack over into your hands, it'll be the last time you call me brother."

She choked, his hand squeezing her throat too tightly, but it didn't stop her from glaring at him, even as her eyes built up with tears. "Poor Bo…" she struggled to say. And then she lifted her foot back and brought forward so hard, she nearly felt his rib crack under the hit. His hand loosened and she dropped into a crouch. Instead of waiting for him to recover, she turned and landed a solid punch to his solar plexus. He was thrown back, his body folded forward, but he managed to roll himself and stood back up to fight.

She wasn't surprised when he shifted, attacking with all of his anger instead of any kind of strategy. He swiped through the air between them with clawed hands, eager to make her bleed, to tear her throat out. He advanced, one large step after the other, and lunged at her, growling when she moved out of the way, leaning out of reach and dodging every hit. When he stumbled past her, she took the advantage and leapt onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. She choked him out, keeping his air supply cut off. But Bo refused to let her knock him out; instead, he fell backwards, landing on her as her back hit the hard ground. The air was knocked from her lungs and he scrambled up, turning around to face her. He brought his leg up and his foot down, intending to stomp on her stomach, but she rolled out of the way, even as she was gasping, trying to get air. She felt dizzy, her vision turning sideways, but she still saw an enemy coming and her Instinct told her to fight. She blocked his punch with her arm and threw one of her own, feeling it connect with his throat.

And then she wasn't the only one struggling to breathe. Only Bo didn't take it like she did. He fell to his knees, clawing at his neck and shaking his head. By then, she had her breath back, and walked forward to kick him in the chest. He laid out flat beneath her, struggling to drag in air, and stared up at her from his position in the grass.

She peered down at him, her head cocked. "You can blame me all you want, but in the end, if they don't pick me, it's because you wasted your chance."

He shook his head, turning his eyes away.

"I talked to them and yes, they're training me to become as alpha, but only as a back-up. You still have a chance to show them you're right for it, Bo. But you  _can't_  keep doing the same old things. You need to stop thinking about how this isn't fair, or how much you deserve it, and start thinking about what's best for this pack. Because if you think they have to just take it because you're an alpha, you're wrong. This is your  _family_. So they need you to step up and do what's right for them. No more putting your needs first." She knelt down beside him and caught his chin, forcing him to look at her. "Because you might be my brother and I love you, but you're not my alpha. You need to prove to me you can be."

With that, she stood and walked away, grabbing up her sweater as she went. But just as she reached the stairs, she heard him, even as he whispered it under his breath, she caught it on the wind.

"I'd be better off without you."

She closed her eyes for a moment. She knew he was lashing out, that he loved her, that she would always be his baby sister who used to trail behind him, eager for any of his attention. But right now, she was the enemy about to take the only thing he loved away from him. Still, as she climbed the stairs, the words stung her heart, and she blinked back tears. She hurried up the stairs to her bedroom, missing the days when she was just a little sister and he was an impressive big brother that could do no wrong.

But those days were lost, and they would never return.

…

Chloe hadn't talked to Bo since their show-down. In fact, she was doing a pretty good job of avoiding him. She'd like to say it was payback for the week and a half he spent doing everything in his power to avoid her, but really it was that every time she saw him, it hurt. So instead of focusing on the negative, she decided to take Sam into town for some TLC.

Leaving the house, she raced across the front lawn, the jacket their mother had forced on her dragging behind her on the ground, the sleeve clutched in her hand. When she reached the car, she hopped inside, slamming the door behind her. She ignored Chloe's pointed look at the seat belt and instead thrust herself up between the two front seats. "Where are we going?" she wondered, her brows hiked high. "Brody and Noah said you didn't invite them."

"No, because they won't like where we're going." She nodded her head back, silently telling Sam to put on her belt before she reached for the key in the ignition. "Besides, I thought just you and I could do something today. Call it a girl's day."

Grinning happily, Sam put her seatbelt on and sat back, kicking her feet in anticipation. "So, where are we going?"

They'd hardly left the driveway, but Chloe wasn't surprised. The most impatient person in their family, even putting Bo to shame, was Samantha. She didn't know the meaning of enjoying the anticipation; she wanted immediate results. "Shopping, all right? We're going to pick out a few new outfits for spring break."

Her lips puckered in a frown. "Why? What's so special about spring break?" She pulled her legs up and crossed them. "Noah's gonna be away at soccer camp or whatever, right? So, we'll probably spend it down at the river. I already have a bathing suit."

"Indulge me, all right? We'll get lunch and pick out a few outfits, maybe some new running shoes since yours look like you put them through a wood chipper…" She raised a curious eyebrow.

Sam shrugged. "I was climbing trees… I get a better look from up there, so I can tell Brody if I see animals for him to help."

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "You don't think he has enough already?"

"It's like an animal hospital; it's cool."

"Yeah, well, you didn't run into that anxious skunk last month." Her nose wrinkled. "Not my finest moment."

With a giggle, she grinned up at her sister. "I can still kind of smell it on you."

"Seriously?" She took a deep sniff of herself, but couldn't find the sour scent the skunk, fondly called Stripe by Brody, had doused her in.

"Nah, you got rid of it a while ago, I just like bugging you," Sam admitted, bouncing her back against the seat.

"Thanks for the kick to my self-esteem," she muttered, briefly taking her eyes from the road to give her a playful glare.

Not the least bit repentant, she merely grinned in return.

The rest of the ride was spent discussing Sam's favorite of the many patients to Brody's own animal hospital. Given how much of a chatter box she was, Chloe wasn't surprised when time flew by as they entered town and found a spot. She was still talking about a particularly mischievous racoon when they climbed out of the SUV and started walking down the sidewalk toward the shopping mall. As per usual, Sam was a ball of energy. She skipped down the sidewalk, her hands swinging widely at her sides, and looked ready to break out into cartwheels at any moment. Chloe put her hands on Sam's shoulders to keep from doing just that and ushered her through the glass doors of the mall.

"Food first, or shopping?"

"Food!"

Familiar with the layout of the mall, they made their way over to the escalator that led them to a lower floor, where the food court was located. Sam eagerly looked at all the signs, searching out what she wanted to eat with eager excitement.

Chloe snorted. "You'd think we never feed you." She reached over and tugged on the blond ponytail sticking out of the baseball cap her sister was wearing. Cora had sent it to her in the mail and Chloe didn't think Sam had taken it off since. Not that she could really judge considering she only took Derek's necklace off to shower. She briefly wondered if he ever took off the bracelet she made him. He said he wore it every day, which never failed to make her smile.

"Fries," Sam exclaimed, taking her hand and hauling her toward the many fast food outlets waiting to serve.

Chloe let herself be dragged around and dug her wallet out as her sister went over each and every restaurant, doing a mental tally of what she wanted and what they offered. It took her a good fifteen minutes to narrow it down and Chloe realized the girl did have patience, but only when the pay off was in favor of her stomach. After they gathered their tray of greasy goods, they took a seat at one of the metal tables. She watched in amusement as Sam heartily dug in while she leisurely picked at her food. Maybe it was a kid thing. They couldn't control how often they got fast food, so they were quick to take it all in, while Chloe could take a trip into town and indulge whenever she pleased. Whatever it was, it had Sam eating like a pig, ignoring all table manners. With a sigh, she grabbed up a napkin and wiped Sam's chin of ketchup, rolling her eyes when her sister snapped her teeth at her and leaned away from her reaching hands.

"Cut it out. You're just like mom," she complained.

"Yeah? And you're eating like Bo. Even trade." She balled up the dirty napkin and tossed it onto the tray while she focused back on her food. "So, about this spring break…"

"What about it?" Sam dug the tomato out off of her burger and tossed it away, her nose wrinkled with distaste. She licked her fingers of the mustard and ketchup that clung to them and then took a bite of her burger. "Are you going somewhere, too?" she asked, though most of her words were lost in her chewing.

"We both are," Chloe said, having long ago mastered garble; between Bo and Sam, it was practically a language all its own. "Derek invited me to come visit for spring break. He said you could come down, too. I talked to our parents, who talked to Talia, and it's a go. We're going back to Beacon Hills for a week."

" _Really?_ " Sam perked up, bouncing in her seat, smiling widely, despite the bun and meat and condiments that were still being chewed. "A whole week!?"

Smiling, she nodded.

"This is awesome! Does Cora know?"

With a shrug, she admitted, "I'm not sure. Mom just told me this morning that Talia agreed, so she probably told her you were coming down."

"This is so great! We'll get a whole week together! I can stay in her room and we can stay up the whole night and nobody can tell us to go to bed, 'cause we don't have school or anything."

She snorted. "Well, you should probably still try to get some sleep. You want to have energy to run around and do stuff during the day."

"I've got lots of energy," she dismissed, shaking her head. "Oh my God, maybe we'll have a contest to see who can stay up the longest. I bet I can beat her. I bet I can stay up for  _days_ …"

Chloe sighed, shaking her head to herself as she picked at her fries. Suddenly, she realized having Sam with her meant that she was probably going to have to keep an eye on her sister more than she expected. Sure, Talia would be around to make sure she didn't get into too much trouble, but Sam had a way of skirting around rules and making up her own instead. Chloe only hoped nobody got hurt and she didn't get embarrassed.

The rest of lunch went by with Sam telling her all of the cool things she expected to do with Cora, in between eating her lunch and ignoring all of Chloe's reminders to chew with her mouth closed.

When they finally got to the shopping part, Sam was a lot more excited for picking out clothes than she had been when they first started out. She wanted to have a wardrobe to both impress Cora and share with her. Chloe couldn't help but be reminded of how she and Lois had been at their age, sharing anything and everything, relying on and confiding in each other. A pang hit her heart as she suddenly missed her cousin, wishing she had a better way of contacting her than snail mail. It seemed like every time she tried calling her, Lois was in the middle of some new mystery she was cracking and didn't have time to talk. They'd had a few heart-to-heart's about Derek, but it wasn't the same over the phone or written on paper. She wanted some real girl time and wondered what it would take to get Lois to come visit for a weekend.

"What about this one?" Sam wondered, holding up a bright pink t-shirt. "Do you think Cora would like that?"

She half-grinned. "I think Cora will like anything you wear. She's not really inviting you down for your fashion sense, Sam. She'll just be happy you're there."

"You think?" she wondered hopefully.

"You guys write each other every day," she reminded. "Trust me, best friends don't care what you're wearing. You two will probably spend most of your time roughhousing anyway. It's your default setting."

With a smirk, Sam nodded, but took the hot pink shirt with her, along with a few others, and headed over to try them on in the fitting room.

Chloe searched around a bit more for her, picking out a few pairs of jeans, shorts, and a cute denim skirt for her sister to try on before making her way over and knocking on the door. "These too."

Sam opened the door and took the hangers. With a sigh, she reminded, "We're only going for a week, Chlo."

"Yeah, well, you can wear these clothes before and after spring break, too. So try them on, all right?"

" _Fine_ …" she muttered on a sigh.

Wandering away from her, she searched through the underwear and socks, grabbing a few pairs and dropping them in the cart before she walked back over and waited for Sam to make her choices.

"Are you going to show me any of them?"

The door opened then and Sam hopped out, wearing the skirt and her hot pink shirt. She threw her hands out, looking confident and happy with her outfit.

"I like it," Chloe agreed with a nod.

With a thumbs up, Sam disappeared back into the fitting room.

Six outfits later and a cart full of clothes, they left the girls section and made their way over to the teens. Chloe wasn't as quick to choose her clothes, picky about color choices and what shapes flattered her. Deciding she had plenty of jeans at home, she focused instead on cute dresses and tops, adding them to the top of the cart as she meandered around, looking for anything else that might catch her fancy. Sam had started complaining five minutes in that she was taking too long, but Chloe had long ago become adept at ignoring her sister's whining.

Eventually, she made her way over to the dressing room, coming back out with most of what she'd tried on. She found Sam laying on the floor, splayed like a starfish, trying to make a dramatic statement about how bored she was.

"Keep it up and I'll tell mom I'm leaving you at home," she chided with little to no heat.

Rolling her eyes, Sam hopped up, brushing herself off. "Are we done?" she hoped.

"Here, yeah. But we still need to pick up shoes, and I want new luggage."

"Ugh…"

"C'mon, we'll pick you up a smoothie, all right?"

Sam perked up then, nodding.

Shopping went a little better after that. They managed to find shoes and the luggage she wanted in under an hour. Sam still acted like it was torture, but Chloe knew she was happy with the clothes she got and the free food. They made their way back out to the truck and loaded the back before taking a walk around to see what else they might like. Sam lingered outside of an art supplies store and they made their way in, where Chloe was pretty sure she was swindled into buying a scrapbook kit for Sam and Cora to use over spring break. She bought one for herself just in case and they left the store with a bag swinging off their wrists. Deciding to pick up Bo, Brody, and Noah something while they were in town, they made a few more stops, before eventually making their way back to the truck. Chloe was happy to see Sam was tired by that point and quickly fell asleep on the ride home.

All in all, she thought it was a good day.

…

When she finally decided to talk to Bo again, she was feeling nervous. He'd stopped actively avoiding her and she'd dropped the routine of staying out of his way. They hadn't spoken though, instead just sharing space and keeping to themselves. The tension was thick and she wasn't sure how much more if it she could take. Telling herself it was better to just rip the band aid off, she finally made her way to his room one night after dinner. Their parents had taken the younger kids into town for ice cream, leaving just her and Bo. Chloe was half sure it was her dad's idea, an attempt at making them communicate, and while she'd usually be irritated by the interference, this time she kind of appreciated it.

She found Bo sitting on the porch, watching the sun set in the distance. He had a mug of coffee in his hands, curls of steam reaching up in the air, dancing. "Can we talk?" she asked, jumping in head first.

He glanced at her, his lips pursed. "What's there to say?"

She sighed. "Come on, Bo. You can't hate me forever."

"I don't," he muttered.

Her brow furrowed.

"I don't hate you, I just… I'm tired of being jealous of you." His eyes dropped to his cup and he glared down into the dark depths. "I'm tired of you showing me up and I'm sick of feeling like I'm the bad guy just because I know what I want."

"Who said you were the bad guy?" Arms crossed over her chest, she leaned against a support beam. "You _should_ want to be alpha; it's what you've been training for since birth. It's not enough to just want it; you have to show them you're worth it."

"You don't think I try?" He snorted, glaring up at her. "You ever think maybe I just got tired of trying so hard? Working my ass off, only to watch my little sister show me up without even breaking a sweat."

"I never tried to. I—"

"Yeah, I know," he interrupted, his eyes wide. "But that just made it worse."

"Bo—"

"Look, you're never going to get it, all right? You want me not to hate you? Well, I don't. I  _can't_. You're my baby sister. I just… This was mine, okay? This was supposed to be just mine and you're taking it."

"I'm not." She shook her head. "I told you, you just have to show them that you can do it and they won't—"

"Yeah, and who suggested that? Huh? Who came up with giving me another chance?"

She frowned. "Who cares? The point is—"

" _I care!_ " he yelled, standing from the bench and walking toward her, his shoulders hunched angrily. "'Cause if you suggested it, it means they already know. They know I can't do it and they're just trying to make you feel better. They're trying to make it look like it was a difficult choices, when it isn't."

"So make it a hard choice!" she shouted back, meeting his aggressive stance, even as she had to tip her head back to meet his stony gaze. "You want to be pissed at me for showing you up, then put up a real fight. No more being lazy, no more just scraping by. If you want this,  _prove it_. Because it doesn't matter if they've made up their minds now, this is your opportunity to change it. So either do something about it or get over it." With that, she turned on her heel, leaving him behind as she hurried into the house.

Her anger was making adrenaline course through her veins. She felt wired, ready to attack, and she hated that there wasn't a real target for the outlet. She couldn't take on Bo, not feeling this way, not with him so angry at her; it would only end in bloodshed. Not death, they were too controlled for that, but they'd both walk away injured.

Climbing the stairs to her room two at a time, she threw herself down on her bed and put her pillow over her head to scream, trying to get out of her frustration. It helped a tiny bit, but not nearly enough. Eventually, she turned onto her side and checked the clock. Derek wasn't due to call for at least two more hours. She knew he'd be just getting back from basketball practice, which meant he'd be setting the table or overseeing as one of his siblings did it, so she pulled her hand back from the phone, even as her fingers twitched. She could wait. And besides, she probably needed to calm down, otherwise she'd rant and rave to him about how much of an ass her brother could be. She was tired of the pity him act. She understood why Bo was upset, but it was no excuse. He had an opportunity, so he'd better take it.

…

Derek stacked the dishes on top of each other and carried them to the sink, where hot water was filling up the basin, topped with a cloud of white bubbles.

"You want some help?"

He looked up, slightly surprised to see his mother there, rolling up her sleeves. "You made dinner. I can do these."

She smiled and squeezed his shoulders gently before moving to his side and hip-checking him out of her way. She handed him a towel before she set to washing the stack of plates he'd put on the counter. "So, I got an interesting call from Moira today."

He paused as he wiped down a dripping mug. "Yeah?" he asked, staring purposely at his hands.

"Yeah." She focused on the task for a few moments, smiling when his frustration became clear.

"Well?" he asked impatiently.

She looked over at him, her hair falling over her shoulder. "Chloe and Sam will stay with us over spring break… Chloe's expected to train every day with me and Laura." Before he could get too excited, she added, " _And_ you two stay in different rooms at night. She'll stay in Laura's room. We'll set up a spare bed."

"We have guest rooms," he reminded.

"We do. But there's no one in those guest rooms to keep you from sneaking in. So, she'll stay where Laura can keep an eye on her."

He rolled his eyes. "We're not going to do anything with all of you here."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Be that as it may… I'd rather not take the risk."

He nodded shortly, focusing back on the dishes.

A few minutes passed in comfortable silence, each of them lost in their own thoughts. It wasn't until the dishes were nearly finished that she asked him, "You really like her, don't you?"

He turned to look at her, a little surprised. "Yeah. I do."

She watched him carefully. "And the tugging in your chest… You still get that?"

He shrugged. "Sure."

She watched him, waiting for him to elaborate.

Sighing, he said, "When we talk on the phone, when I can hear her heart…" He smiled to himself. "Sometimes just when I think about her."

Talia took a deep breath and smiled uncertainly.

He watched her, gauging her face, his eyes washing over her expression critically. "You think we're like you and dad were."

"I… think you're seventeen." She took the dish towel from his hands and dried her own. "Make sure you get your homework done." She leaned up to kiss his cheek before she left him to his thoughts. He stared after her, his brow furrowed.

"There was a ritual, you know? Centuries ago…"

Peter's voice startled him and Derek whirled around to see his uncle sitting at the dining room table, a smirk playing at his lips. Not bothering to explain, or comment on his nephew's lack of attention, he instead continued with his tale.

"When he was ready, a wolf would go on a journey, no set destination, he'd just wander the world. Days, weeks, months, sometimes years. And he wouldn't stop wandering until he felt it."

"Felt it," Derek repeated.

"It was said that each wolf had a mate, that the string of fate would tie itself around each of their hearts, slowly pulling them together. And when they found each other, it would knot itself, keeping them close, promising that this was their fit. The wolf that would love them more than any other, and who they would love in return like they couldn't anyone else." He stood from his seat and walked toward Derek, his head cocked, watching him curiously. "Over the years, the tradition faded, it became more like legend. Very few wolves ever really feel it and it's considered a high honor if they do."

"Mom and dad…?"

He nodded. "Your mother was gifted with a number of things; she found her soul mate, became alpha, and is a true shifter… She's revered."

"She deserves it," Derek said without hesitation.

Peter smiled, but it was less genuine and more strained. He turned his back on Derek and started to leave, but not before calling over his shoulder, "Do you know why it faded into obscurity?"

Derek shook his head.

"Fate is fickle." He frowned, his nose wrinkled. "It had a habit of bringing soul mates together only to tear them apart." He looked back at him, an insincere smile reaching out to his nephew. "Let's hope you and Chloe don't follow the same tradition."

Brows furrowed, he stared after Peter's retreating form before turning around, leaning his back against the counter, and frowning. His heart stuttered a little, worry making his stomach twist in knots. Putting away the last of the dishes in a hurry, he quickly left the kitchen and made his way up to his bedroom, digging out his phone as he went. He closed the door behind him and took a seat on his bed, hitting 3 on his speed dial before he sat back, tapping his fingers on his knee impatiently.

The phone didn't usually get a chance to ring, but this time it rang and rang and rang. His heart lodged itself in his throat; the foreboding feeling of his uncle's words was making him antsy. What if something did happen to her? He'd be too far away to do anything to help her. He'd get a phone call after the fact, telling him she was gone, that it had been hours, maybe days, since she'd died and he'd had no idea. He didn't like that. It made a lead weight settle in the pit of his stomach, his heart constricting. His hand balled into a tight fist, fingers squeezing so tightly they hurt.

He wanted her there. He  _needed_ her there. And suddenly spring break felt too far away.

"Hello?"

He breathed a sigh of relief, the weight of everything fading away as soon as he heard her voice. "Hey," he said back.

"Are you okay? You sound weird…"

He cleared his throat, nodding his head despite knowing she couldn't see him. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I just… I missed you."

He could hear her smile in her voice. "We just talked last night."

Dragging a hand over his face, he laid back against the bed. "I know, it just… feels like a really long day."

"Yeah? You wanna talk about it?"

He shook his head. "No. I just… I just want to hear your voice…" He licked his lips. "How was your day?"

She sighed. "Where to start…"

Closing his eyes, he unfurled his fist and let his hand fall to his chest as he focused on the sound of her voice, the faint staccato of her heart echoing in his ears.

Funny… When he tapped his fingers in tune with her heartbeat, and it matched his own. What were the odds?


	15. Family First

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amazing fic poster made by **[dhfreak](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day)** , so leave some love on her Tumblr!

**[ ](http://dhfreak.tumblr.com/post/69954500012/blue-gold-series-by-sarcasticfina-the-day) **

**XIV.**

Even with her healing, Chloe was pretty sure she was going to be feeling this training exercise for the rest of the week. Bo wasn't even attempting to take it easy on her. It seemed like he was finally putting all of his focus on training and he wasn't letting his anger guide him in every attack. She would be proud of him if it wasn't her who was taking the brunt of each aggressive advance.

"Again," their mother ordered, standing on the sidelines, watching, critiquing.

Chloe wiped her mouth, smearing blood that leaked from a split lip over her chin. She licked it absently and raised an eyebrow at her brother.

His jaw ticked right before he attacked; it was a tell she'd long ago picked up on and usually used to her advantage. This time she purposely reacted a second too late, letting him barrel into her and pin her down in the grass. His hands gripped her shoulders and she felt his claws slice through her shirt and pierce her skin.

"Stop," he growled into her face as it faded back and forth from human to wolf.

She brought her knee up and hit him sharply in the stomach before she flipped them, rolling them over so she was pinning him down. "Stop what?"

With an impressive show of strength, he threw her off of him, pushing up to his feet as she rolled abruptly, hitting the ground in jagged thumps before coming to a halt on her stomach. She shook it off, tossed her hair from her face, and stood. She could feel bruising along the muscles down her side and pressure on her ribs, but she ran at him anyway, sparing no time for healing. She leapt into the air, but he caught her, holding her inches away from him as he snarled angrily.

"You're holding back," he accused. " _Stop!_ " He tossed her again and, this time, instead of letting the ground meet her painfully, she recognized what he wanted and caught herself. Her hands hit the grass and she back-flipped to safety, landing lightly on her feet.

She stared at him from the corner of her eyes. She'd been holding back so he would look better to their mother, but if he noticed, then so did Moira, which meant she could be doing more harm than good. The problem was that as much as she believed her brother was a good fighter, she wasn't sure he was better than her. And showing him up meant making herself look better for becoming an alpha, which wasn't something she wanted.

"I can't learn if you won't let me," he finally said, rolling his shoulders back and looking at her head on.

With a nod, she accepted his explanation and vowed not to rein herself in.

Fighting had come naturally to her since she was a little girl. Her mother had once explained to her that their abilities allowed for quicker reaction. It was as if the world slowed down and her body sped up. She could see a hit coming and react to it accordingly. But this was afforded to all wolves, so they were put on equal footing when in a fight, not like if she were to go against a human, who wouldn't stand a chance. The difference here was that sometimes she saw things happening before they came. She could read in the tilt of a knee or the bend of an arm where and how the punch or kick would be thrown. And sometimes, like a vision playing out for her, she could see how an opponent would attack and where they would move before they'd even begun.

Like now.

Bo was going to fake left and catch her in the face with his elbow. He would use her disorientation to take her by the neck, bending her forward as he kneed her in the stomach. When she was out of breath and weak, he would tilt her back the other way, kick her feet out from beneath her, slam her down into the ground, and pin her by her throat. Effectively winning.

However, when he came for her, knowing what he would do, she anticipated the fake out and deflected his elbow. She twirled on the tips of her toes and brought her own elbow back behind her, slamming it into his solar plexus. While he arched forward, choking on a lack of air, she wrapped her arm around his head, gripped the back of his shirt, and flipped him up and over until he lay flat on his stomach. She caught his arms and pinned them behind his back as she stood on the back of his knees to keep his legs from helping him. He was done. She had won.

The sound of clapping interrupted the quick staccato of Chloe's heart and she hopped off of him, moving to stand beside her mother. She didn't look smug or arrogant, not like Bo did after a fight, she only looked resigned.

Bo pushed himself up, dusting the dirt off of himself, his lip curled angrily. But he didn't attack her like he had in the past, he didn't defend himself; instead, he marched toward her and held out a hand.

She glanced at it briefly, wondering if it was a trick.

He rolled his eyes. "Good fight."

Blinking, she took his hand hesitantly. "You too."

And then his snarl became a grin. "You're gonna have to tell me how you knew I was trying to fake you out."

She half-smiled. "Now why would I do that? You never tell an opponent what their tell is, Bo. Fighting-101."

He nodded. "Again?"

Her bruises had bruises, but she nodded anyway.

As they moved into position, she saw her mother's thoughtful expression.

Maybe there was hope for him yet.

* * *

Chloe groaned as she climbed the stairs. She could feel herself healing, but that didn't mean it felt good. Fighting like they were, her body didn't have time to heal before something else hurt. And now, every inch of her felt like it needed TLC. Bo had wanted to keep going. He was finally starting to pick up on some of her cues, some of the tells she didn't know she had, and was using them to his advantage. It was good,  _for him_ , but she was tired.

Walking down the hall, she bypassed her bedroom and instead made her way into her dad's office. His back was to her, his head ducked as he read through a book. She silently took a seat on his couch, letting herself fall sideways until she was curled up comfortably, head perched on the arm.

"Bo finally let you rest?" Gabe asked, somehow knowing it was her without having to look.

She smiled. Sometimes she thought he had a little wolf in him. "I wouldn't say 'let'… I didn't give him much of a choice."

He chuckled under his breath before he turned to see her, pulling his glasses off his nose and letting them fall to his chest, hanging off the chain he wore around his neck. He looked her over slowly, his brow furrowed. "You look rough."

"Thanks, dad. Just what I wanted to hear."

His lips twitched faintly. "This calls for cocoa," he decided, nodding as he stood. As he moved to the door, he anticipated her next words. "Extra marshmallows," he assured.

She smiled, curling up tighter as she laid in wait for him to return.

Time passed slowly as she gazed out the window, watching a bird swoop through the air playfully, gliding and soaring with no destination in mind. She could make out the faint red feathers on its belly, blending in with the blue-black of the others. Briefly, she wondered if Brody had seen it. If it was one of the many birds he'd fixed up and let free, only to find it would return and visit him from time to time, appreciating his help.

"You wanted to be a bird when you were four."

Chloe turned toward his voice, smiling as her dad handed her a steaming mug of cocoa while he retook his seat, rolling it closer to her. She sat up, holding it with both hands and sipping slowly. "Really?"

He nodded. "You told us wolves were boring and you wanted to be a bird. You wanted to fly around and see what everyone else was doing. You said you'd visit Lois whenever you wanted, you could just fly over there, day and night. And you'd sit on the window sill while Ella baked, like the birds in those Disney movies you liked. Bo said you just wanted Ella's pies and you told him that you'd be such a small bird that just a crumb would fill you up."

Grinning lightly, she stared down into her mug. "What'd you say?"

"That there were upsides to being a bird, flight and freedom being one of them, but with wolves you'd always have a pack, a family. And then I told you I didn't like heights and you felt bad for me and told me you'd never make me fly with you."

She laughed. "Because my tiny bird-self could lift you up…"

He chuckled to himself, smiling lightly. "You thought so at the time."

Humming, she shook her head and curled deeper into the couch. " _Are_ there bird shifters?" she wondered.

Standing from his chair, he moved to his bookshelf and brought down a particularly old looking book with intricate carvings all along the cover and binding. "This is the Lane bestiary," he explained. "Every creature you can think of, and many you wouldn't, are in here, extinct or not."

Taking it from his outstretched hand, she fingered through a few random pages, looking at the faded hand-made drawings that had been added over the years, some more crudely made than others. Finally, she flipped to the back to search through the glossary for any avian shifters. "Crows and ravens… Why am I not surprised?"

He snorted. "Pigeons aren't exactly intimidating."

She laughed under her breath, nodding agreeably. Glancing up at him, she wondered, "Did you ever want to be a shifter when you were growing up?"

He tipped his head thoughtfully. "Maybe when I was very young… But as I grew up, when I saw the toll it took on so many, it became less glamorous."

Her brow furrowed curiously.

"It's different here. Your pack is your family. You were raised with them and so you don't know what it's like for others… But there are some packs that aren't as warm or as welcoming. Some alphas only want power and not family." He frowned. "And when you're raised as a druid, you see things differently. The shifters aren't always the heroes of the story. They're just another character."

"So what are the hunters then?"

"Druids are a balance between the two. Wolves and hunters are two sides of a coin, opposing forces where neither is better than the other."

She snorted to herself disagreeably.

"You were raised to see them as the enemy, just as they were to see the same in you. To them, you're a time bomb. Eventually, you'll kill and it will be their job to put you down."

She blinked, dropping her gaze to her cocoa before she took a long drink of it, licking the marshmallow foam from her lips. "Not all wolves kill."

"Not all wolves don't."

She stared at him a moment. "Is it right, though? An eye for an eye?"

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "If a wolf kills someone, the first reaction of the pack is important. Does it punish him or does it absolve his conscious? If their first thought is to tell him it isn't his fault, he lost control and it happens, then that wolf learns to separate his actions from the wolf's actions. But they're one in the same. If that wolf is punished then, much like a child, he learns that he has to find an anchor, he has to keep himself in line. What he did was wrong and he can't let it happen again. Now, from a hunter's point of view, that wolf is a murderer and there is no guarantee he won't continue to kill. For all they know, he's gotten a taste for blood and he likes it. If they let him go free, he could kill more and they have the ability to stop him, to save people." He stared at her. "What would you do?"

She frowned. "If I killed?"

He shook his head. "Let's say you're an alpha, you have a pack member who's killed someone. It's a full moon, he couldn't control himself, and a girl is dead."

She swallowed tightly. "I don't know. I… I can't let him do it again."

"There are hunters. They know who killed the girl, they know he's in your pack, and they're prepared to take care of it. Do you kill the beta, fight the hunters to keep him safe, or let the hunters have him?"

She gripped her mug tightly. "He's my beta… What he did was wrong and I would have to deal with him myself. But I wouldn't let the hunters do it. They would be cruel. And the last face he sees shouldn't be a stranger."

"Would you kill him yourself then?" He met her eyes seriously. "He's killed one person and he admits he might kill another. He's scared. He's sorry."

Chloe could imagine it. She could imagine a young wolf, maybe as old as Noah. He would cry and beg her for guidance. He would tell her the whole story. How he didn't know what happened at first, but something snapped and there was a girl. She was young, maybe she was walking home from college. She wasn't aware of what was stalking her, what was coming from her. He attacked and slaughtered her before she could even catch a breath to scream. Her life would end, abruptly and without a moment's hesitation. And now she had a wolf on her hands, his paws red with the blood of an innocent.

If he was hers, that meant she trained him. She stood by him during his first transformation. She would know him completely; his fears, his dreams, his hopes and aspirations. She would know what he looked like when he was happy or sad, how he acted when he was angry. She would know about his family, treat him like one of her own. So when it came to deciding his fate, she would have all these facts. She would have to kill him herself or try again to teach him control. But he didn't learn it the first time, making it even harder the second time around. What if he simply couldn't and he killed someone else? Would she try again and again and again? How many lives were worth one beta?

"I don't know," she admitted, raising her eyes to meet his, feeling at a loss despite knowing that this wasn't the case. She wasn't an alpha and she had no beta with a kill to his name. "There are too many factors. Too many 'what if's'… If I kill him, I would always wonder. Did I do the right thing? Could he have gotten control? But if I didn't and he killed again, I would blame myself for letting someone else get hurt…" She looked up at him earnestly. "What's the right answer?"

He smiled then, gentle as could be, and she didn't understand why.

"Drink your cocoa," he told her. "It's getting cold."

Rolling her eyes, she finished off the mug quickly before asking him again, "What should I do? If that really happened… Which outcome is the right outcome?"

"That depends on the wolf, doesn't it? If he was your beta, you would know him, know if he was teachable, if this was a mistake, or if it was likely he would do it again… But, you know what the important part is, Chloe?"

She shook her head.

"It's knowing that you might not always have the answer, and sometimes you have to ask for help. A good alpha knows that she won't always be right, but she surrounds herself with people who will help her make that decision in the end."

Her eyes dropped to her lap. "That's why we have emissaries. To help us make those decisions."

"Emissaries help in that, yes. But you always have your pack or your mate, someone you trust who can look at things objectively and help you come to the best conclusion."

"I don't think I want that pressure, though… I don't ever want to hold someone else's life in my hands." She shuddered, lifting her knees up and hugging them to her chest, her feet balanced on the edge of the couch.

"Sometimes the trade-off is worth it…"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "What do you mean?"

"If that life wasn't in your hands, it would be in someone else's… Who would treat it better?"

Frowning, her gaze fell once more in thought.

"That's enough deep thinking for one day, I think." Gabe stood from his chair and held a hand out to her. "Come on. I think we all deserve a night off. You round up the kids and I'll talk to your mom. How does Italian sound?"

She smiled brightly then. "Awesome." Taking his hand, she stood from the couch and leaned against his side as he hugged her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. For a day that started off rather poorly, she thought it was ending on a nice note.

* * *

"Beacon Hills? What the hell does California have that Smallville doesn't?" Lois complained. "I wanted you to come out here for Spring Break."

"Really? Because you never mentioned it," Chloe countered.

She sighed. "Fine, so I just thought about it, but it would've been nice to see you, cuz. It's been like,  _forever_ since we got to hang out."

Chloe rolled her eyes lightly. "You've been a little preoccupied, Lo. How's school going anyway?"

"It's reached a whole new level of suckage, actually. I'm just glad I only have a few more months left and then I never have to set foot in a high school again."

"It can't be that bad. Every time I call, you're busy, so you must be doing something."

Lois scoffed. "Let's just say there is a high concentration of weird here that I happen to enjoy hunting down and exposing."

Chloe grinned, laughing under her breath a little. "Sounds like you might just be an investigator in the making. Maybe it runs in the genes."

"Yeah, well, don't send in my resume to the police academy yet. I don't think detective is exactly what I'm aspiring to be. Especially since I have a rap sheet that won't look too pretty to prying eyes."

"Most of that was before you were eighteen…" She rolled her eyes. " _And_  I'm pretty sure your dad redacted so much of it that they'd have a hard time making anything out of that mess."

"It helps that I have a kick-ass cousin who could put those magic fingers to work and blot out anything else in police records, right?"

She paused for a moment. " _Like…?_ "

"Let's just say the local police force isn't my biggest fan, and may or may not have arrested me a few times."

"How many times is a few times?" she sighed.

"More than five and less than ten."

" _Lois…_ "

"What?" she cried defensively. "These people are seriously uptight, okay? I mean, if I wasn't hunting down these freaks, I'd be tipping cows. They should thank me for putting my tracking skills to better use."

Frowning, Chloe shook her head. "Are you at least being careful?"

"Look, I may not have wolfy powers, but I'm trained, okay? I can handle myself. Don't worry so much."

"You've been arrested multiple times and you're tracking down some seriously dangerous characters, but you don't want me to worry?" Her eyebrows hiked. "Is there something in the water over there? Of  _course_ I'm going to worry."

"Well how about you do less long-distance worrying and come visit to see for yourself just how amazing I am at what I'm doing?" Lois suggested hopefully.

Her lips twitched. "I would, really, but I made a promise. And besides, I think mom wants me to train with Talia. If this alpha thing really does happen, I think it makes sense to see how other packs work. Even if it doesn't, it could be cool to be under Talia's wing for a week."

"Curiosity killed the cat," Lois harrumphed.

"Pot, meet Kettle."

"Fine, but I still think you're missing out."

"On your sparkling personality, yes," Chloe agreed, amused, "but I have plenty of time to come visit you later."

"Except  _not_. Aren't you heading down there for the summer too?" she wondered.

"Yes, but not right away. I finish school sooner than the kids do, so I'll have a few weeks before we make the trip. Why don't I come visit then? Sound good?"

" _Yeah_ …" Lois sighed, still disappointed.

"Come on, three weeks, just me and you. You don't think that's better than just one?"

"Fine, but we're going shopping and you owe me at least one pair of awesome shoes."

"I'll buy you  _two_ ," Chloe promised, smiling.

"All right, sold."

Laughing under her breath, she shook her head. "All right, so tell me about the latest freak of the week," she encouraged.

"Oh, you won't even  _believe_ this one…"

Settling back in her chair, Chloe grinned as her cousin put her story-telling skills to work and filled her in. Admittedly, some of the things that happened in Smallville sounded downright crazy. Some part of her actually really wanted to visit and do a little investigating of her own. The journalist in her was desperate to get to the bottom of why so many people there went nuts. But things were hectic right now, between Bo, Deucalion, and everything with Derek, she wasn't sure she had the time or inclination to go looking for trouble elsewhere. She would leave it for the summer. She didn't  _want_ to put off seeing her cousin, but she was really looking forward to Spring Break with Derek and what was a few more months? Lois might not like it, but she understood.

An hour later, after finally saying goodbye to Lois, Chloe hung up her phone and left her bedroom. She could hear Bo downstairs, helping Brody out with some animal or another. Sam diligently working on her homework; she'd been paying extra attention to it and her chores lately, as if she thought her parents would suddenly change their minds and not let her go to Beacon Hills to visit Cora unless she behaved.

Making her way further down the hall, Chloe knocked lightly on Noah's door, opening it when he gave her the go-ahead.

Laying on his bed, he had a comic book spread open in front of him. He turned over to see her, head propped on his hand. He raised an eyebrow at her curiously.

"Wanna go for a run?" she asked, smiling.

With a lopsided grin, he rolled off his bed and pulled on his sneakers. As he walked toward her, she noticed just how much he'd grown in the last few months. Growth spurts were common at his age, even if he wouldn't reach his full form until around eighteen. He was noticeably taller than her, lean and lanky, just like Bo had been at his age. Unlike Bo, however, Noah had a quiet intensity about him. She imagined the girls in his grade saw him as mysterious when really he was an open book. He didn't talk much, but there wasn't anything hidden behind his kind blue eyes. Noah was a sweetheart, sometimes uncomfortable with his height and strength. He didn't make friends easy, but when he did, he was loyal to a fault. While she tried not to play favorites, it was hard not to see Noah as her closest sibling. It helped that he was only a few years younger than her and had always kept close to her when he grew up, looking up to her for guidance and, later, providing his own when she needed it.

They called out what they were doing to their parents as they raced downstairs and across the porch, leaping off and landing in a crouch in the grass. Chloe glanced at him once and then took off toward the trees. Noah was faster than her; he always had been. He had longer legs and he just seemed to move with an ease that she could never master. She was by no means uncoordinated, but Noah put her to shame. As they moved through the trees, he ran literal circles around her, leaping and bounding as he laughed happily. For all that he could be a homebody, content with his comics and books and the quiet of his room, he was truly in his element in the woods.

They ran for what felt like hours, until they reached his favorite spot. She could hear the water rushing long before it was within sight. Noah darted ahead of her and she watched as he bounced from rock to rock, making his way across until he was on the mound of dirt and grass that sat in the center, like its own mini-island. Chloe wasn't as quick to cross toward it. Noah had long memorized where every rock sat and just how to step on them, especially the less sturdy ones, so that he never tripped. He could cartwheel his way across. In fact, as a little boy, he'd once walked across them in a handstand. She'd never forget the smile on his face, how proud he looked. At least until Bo knocked him into the water, throwing his balance completely off.

While Noah was good on land, he wasn't as comfortable in the water, which was why he was so proud that he could cross the rocks. It was his way of facing his fears without having direct contact with them. He was eight at the time and he'd panicked when his head went under.

_"Noah, you have to calm down!"_

_"Just swim! Use your arms and legs," Bo shouted._

_"You're going to be okay. Just listen to my voice," Chloe shouted to him, running down the bank of the water to keep up with him. "Noah, listen to me!"_

_"Chloe! Chloe, I'm drown—I c-can't—"_

_"What a baby," Bo muttered. "Let the mutt drown then."_

_She knew he didn't mean it. He was lashing out. He was angry that what he thought was just a joke had turned into something serious and could get him in trouble with their parents._

_"He's panicking." Chloe started forward into the water, the frigid water feeling like knives against her skin._

_"What're you doing? He'll be fine. He's just freaking out."_

_"He's just a boy, Bo! Quit being such a jerk." Rushing forward, she finally leapt into the water, ducking down low and swimming forward. She couldn't see anything. Everything was murky under the water. But she charged forward, cutting through the water with ease, until she finally found Noah's kicking legs. He kept slipping under, his head ducking beneath the water. She broke through the top and wrapped her arms around him. "I got you. It's okay, No. It's me."_

_But he was too panicked and his hands were still flailing around. His claws were out and she felt them pierce through her cheek, tearing downward. Her flesh flayed open and she felt the warm stream of blood as it flowed down her face. She shifted immediately, but she didn't attack. The Instinct told her to, it told her to gut whoever had hurt her, but she knew better. This was her brother, her baby brother, and he was just scared._

_"Noah!" she screamed, a fierce growl entering her voice._

_He went still very suddenly and she felt his whole body go limp in her arms. He was still sniffling, still twitching, but he didn't fight her now. He let her lead him back to the shore, his head balanced on her shoulder. She carried him, despite the fact that he wasn't all that much smaller than her. Her muscles protested, cold and slower to respond thanks to the water. But she brought him right up onto land and held him in her lap as she sat down. He was shaking, both from fear and the air against his dripping went body._

_Stroking his hair, she rocked him back and forth, waiting for him to calm down. When he finally looked up at her, he saw the still healing wound on her cheek and tears leaked out the corner of his eyes. He reached up, tracing the jagged flesh, and then he stared at her sorrowfully, his lips trembling._

_"Shh…" she told him, pressing her forehead to his. "It's okay. I'm not mad."_

_"I am. What a waste of time. It's just water," Bo muttered._

_Chloe ignored him. And, thankfully, so did Noah._

But even now it was clear that Noah never forgot. Chloe wondered sometimes if that was the moment he decided he couldn't trust Bo. What happened with the snakes hadn't helped matters either; he saw his brother as a bully and his opinion never changed. It didn't mean he didn't love Bo, only that he didn't particularly like him.

Standing at the edge of the water, Chloe carefully put a foot on the first rock.

"Hop, hop, jump, jump, hop, jump, hop," Noah called to her.

She smiled faintly. He'd long ago figured out a pattern to get himself across and it had never failed him. She followed it, but at a much slower pace than he had. When she was at the last rock, he held a hand out to help her and she landed on the ground beside him. They took a seat on the dirt and just watched the water move past, splitting as it met the island, coursing around it, only lapping gently at the edges.

A few minutes passed before she asked him, "Are you excited for soccer camp?"

He perked up, turning to grin at her. "Yeah. It should be fun. Coach said he might put me in goal for a while. He thinks I have the reflexes for it."

She snorted. "I'm pretty sure you have the reflexes for any position." She bumped his shoulder. "But with how fast you are, shouldn't he keep you on the field?"

He shrugged, dropping his gaze. "I can't run as fast as I do out here… I usually try to keep pace with Darryl, he's the fastest on the team. But he was getting kind of pissed that he wasn't number one, so I backed off."

"And you're okay with that?" Her brow furrowed. "It's not really fair to you, is it?"

"You sound like mom." He grinned when she shoved him lightly. "He's human, Chloe. I've already got an advantage. And besides, if he wants the spotlight, he can have it. I just like being on the team… Coach says we're the best we've been in years. He's crossing his fingers we're going to walk away with a trophy."

"Yeah? Maybe I should call Lois up, have her visit. You know how much she likes playing cheerleader for your games."

He rolled his eyes. "She brought an air horn last time."

"Don't forget the 'Noah is #1' t-shirt she had specially made," she reminded, smiling.

"Nobody else has," he muttered, ducking his head. "Some of the guys still ask me if she's single."

Chloe threw her head back as she laughed. "They're a little young for her."

He shrugged. "I don't think they care."

Chloe smiled. "What about you? Anybody you have your eye on?"

Blushing, he rolled his eyes.

"Come on, you can tell me…" She nudged him. "What about that one girl? What was her name? Natalia?"

"Natasha," he corrected.

" _And…?_ "

"And nothing…" He dug up a rock from the dirt and tossed it into the water. "We study together sometimes. Whatever."

"Study, or  _study_ …"

His face flushed an even deeper red. "We kissed a few times."

"Look at you, Casanova."

He snorted and bumped her shoulder. "Shut up."

"Tell me more about her. What's she look like?"

He inhaled deeply, looking entirely too put out, but he answered her questions anyway. They spent a while just sitting there as Noah waxed poetic about the pretty Natasha with her brown eyes and black hair and a tiny beauty mark on her cheek. Chloe smiled as he talked, looking more and more animated, opening up to her about how she made the first move and how his stomach flipped whenever she looked at him. It was sweet. Puppy love, maybe, but it was still something and Chloe was happy for him. He deserved that.

They didn't start making their way back home until the sun was just starting to set. As they moved through the woods, light faintly filtering through the trees, the air slowly becoming cooler, Chloe felt light. Her dad had been right; she was glad she was a wolf and not a bird. She wouldn't trade her pack for all the freedom in the world.

* * *

"Mom, I'm telling you, they don't have yellow peppers here," she complained into her phone.

"I bought them there last week," Moira muttered.

"Well, maybe they're out of stock."

"Are you sure you're looking in the right place?"

Chloe rolled her eyes. "There is a pepper section. Red and green are right here, but no yellow to be seen… Are you sure you're not color blind? You know, it's not uncommon…"

"Chloe Anne…" she warned.

Blowing out a breath, she raised her head and looked over at the shop owner standing by the till. "Look, I'll ask. Maybe he had some in the back. But if he doesn't, you're getting an extra red and green, all right?"

"Fine. Don't forget the ginger root, either."

"I won't."

"And milk. I think we're out of milk."

She rolled her eyes. "Okay."

"Oh, and can you pick up egg noodles?"

"I told you we should've made a list," she reminded.

"Well, I didn't remember we were out of so much until after you left."

"Uh-huh. So yellow pepper, egg noodles, ginger root, and… milk? Is that it?"

"Yes."

Her left eyebrow popped up skeptically. "You're sure?"

"Brody wanted ice cream, if they have any there."

Standing in a small organic foods store, Chloe cast her eyes around. "I'll see what I can do."

"Okay. I'll see you when you get home."

"All right. Bye."

"Bye."

Hanging up her newly acquired cell phone, given to her by her dad for her upcoming trip to Beacon Hills, she put it away in her purse and started toward the front of the store. They were out of yellow peppers, unfortunately, but they did have everything else she needed on her list. Well, except for the ice cream, but there was a store three shops down that sold the kind she knew Brody liked. Walking out of the store, reusable bags filled with groceries, Chloe made her way down the sidewalk, caught up in her thoughts. She had just turned to walk inside the store, the bell jangling above, when she caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye. Turning her head abruptly, she stared at the figure standing directly at the end of the sidewalk on the next block over. He stood under the cover of the overhang, shadowing his figure, but he wasn't hard to make out. The sunglasses perched on his nose and the walking stick beneath his hands gave him away if nothing else. Her heart stuttered in her chest and then seemed to stop altogether.

Part of her wanted to confront him, find out what he was doing, why he was there, why he seemed to be following her, watching her. Another part told her to run, to avoid and hide and take cover. She wasn't sure which side she was going to answer to, but then a car drove by, blocking him out, and when it had passed, the sidewalk was empty. No Deucalion to be seen.

"You coming in, Miss?" a voice called and her head turned to see one of the store employees looking at her oddly.

"Yeah, sorry." She glanced back one last time but Deucalion had disappeared. Walking inside, she tried to focus on the task at hand. She had to get Brody's ice cream and get home. But her mind was distracted and she could feel a flood of adrenaline rushing through her. Her flight or fight instinct had been triggered and now she wasn't sure what to do with herself.

One thing she knew for sure, though.

Deucalion was letting her see him, which meant he was sending some kind of message, and whatever it was, it wasn't a good one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, school's been kind of hectic. Even though I've had this written and waiting for a while, editing it just felt like it was going to be the most draining task. Buuut, since I've been watching a lot of TW lately, trying to catch up on my days off, I found myself motivated. And excited! Because I just realized the next chapter is when Chloe and Derek are reunited! Yay!
> 
> I'd love to know what you guys think about what you learned in this chapter. It gave some more insight to Bo, both who he's been and who he's trying to be, and I always love writing Chloe & Noah scenes! Plus, some Lois! Always fun! And a surprise visit from Deucalion!
> 
> Thoughts would be awesome!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! Please leave a review; they're my lifeblood!
> 
> - **Lee | Fina**


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